Macaraan JPH Environment

Journal of Public Health | pp.
1–2
Correspondence
The environment in the post-pandemic scenario: sustaining
the gains
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/advance-article/doi/10.1093/pubmed/fdab262/6314340 by guest on 05 July 2021

ABSTRACT
In a recent correspondence, the authors noted how temporary the experience of improved air quality in the Philippines during the pandemic.
They argued that beyond the crafting of policies and guidelines, there must be a solid attitudinal change in the way a person looks, behaves
and lives with his/her surroundings. I support that stance and would further argue that community-based approaches can reinforce that desired
change and outcome especially in remote villages and communities where group/communal identity is far more normative than individuated
identification.
Keywords climate change, community-based approaches, Covid-19, pandemic
To the Editor. nature as its source of food and income and it is important to
In a letter to the editor, Pacaol, Endiape and Perez argued empower the community and hear its voice in any initiative
that for improved air quality to be sustainable, there must be toward environmental conservation and preservation. It is
a strong attitudinal change in the way any person behaves strongly suggested that to address environmental issues or
and lives with nature around him/her.1 I support that idea concerns, it is imperative to incorporate the knowledge and
but I would further argue that given the strong group-identity input of the members of the community, especially since they
mechanism embedded in members of rural and remote vil- are the ones that are directly affected by an environmental
lages and communities, any desire for sustainable environ- health issue.6 The members’ traditional and local knowledge
mental care starts from an adaptation of the community as and practices are valuable resources in analyzing the problem,
a whole. From an Asian perspective, it is unthinkable to treat identifying coping mechanisms and providing solutions and
oneself in isolation from a group.2,3 innovations. A community-based approach is based on a
During the pandemic where human travel is restricted and participatory and consultative framework and works on the
prohibited, there has been a signiﬁcant reduction in pollution premise that environmental care is usually locally managed
and consumption of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases that and is informed by local and traditional knowledge.7
aided in the restoration of ecosystems.4 To know that the Any plan of green recovery requires a commitment not
natural world is getting a bit of a break amid the negative only from an individual perspective but also from the com-
news associated with the pandemic is assuring, to say the least. munity as a whole. The gains we have in terms of a better
But it is strongly assumed that once people return to previous quality of air, water and healthier ecosystems must be sus-
behaviors and practices, the quality of air, water and nature tained with and through strong community involvement and
will revert as well.5 The gains we obtain must be sustained. participation.
The environment is physically interconnected with the
community that lives off, with, and in it. They are interdepen-
dent to one another that one cannot desire for the welfare
Acknowledgements
of the community without linking it with the maintenance of
a healthy and thriving ecosystem. The community relies on No funding was received for this paper.
© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com 1
2 JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Conflict of interest https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201208162957.htm

(18 June 2021, date last accessed).
The author declares no conﬂict of interest in this paper. 6 Collman GW. Community-based approaches to environmental health
research around the globe. Rev Environ Health 2014;29(1–2):125–8.
References 7 Munroe R, Jenner N. Ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation and

impacts of adaptation activities on biodiversity. Bird Life International.
1 Pacaol NF, Endiape AMA, Perez JM. Air quality and Philippine lock- n.d. https://www.birdlife.org/projects/9-ecosystem-based-approache
down amid pandemic: a temporary environmental experience. J Public
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/advance-article/doi/10.1093/pubmed/fdab262/6314340 by guest on 05 July 2021

s-adaptation-and-impacts-adaptation-activities-biodiversity (18 June
Health (Oxf) 2021;43(2):e323–4. 2021, date last accessed).
2 De Guia K. Kapwa: The Self in the Other Worldviews and Lifestyles of Filipino-
Culture Bearers. Pasig City: Anvil Publishing, 2005. Willard Enrique R. Macaraan
3 Gnanapragasam P, Fiorenza ES. Negotiating Borders: Theological Explo- Theology and Religious Education Department, De La Salle
rations in the Global Era. Delhi: Indian Society for Promoting Christian University, Manila 1004, Philippines
Knowledge, 2008.
4 Rume T, Islam SMD-U. Environmental effects of COVID-19 pan- Address correspondence to
demic and potential strategies of sustainability. Heliyon 2020;6(9):1–8.
E-mail: willard.macaraan@dlsu.edu.ph
5 NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. Environmental impacts of the
COVID-19 pandemic, as observed from space. Science Daily. 2020. doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdab262

Macaraan JPH Environment

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Macaraan JPH Environment

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Macaraan JPH Environment

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Journal of Public Health | pp.

Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/advance-article/doi/10.1093/pubmed/fdab262/6314340 by guest on 05 July 2021

Keywords climate change, community-based approaches, Covid-19, pandemic

Conflict of interest https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201208162957.htm

References 7 Munroe R, Jenner N. Ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation and

Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/advance-article/doi/10.1093/pubmed/fdab262/6314340 by guest on 05 July 2021

You might also like