LIFE UNDER SHOCK UNDERSTANDING THE PANDEMIC

The document examines the Covid-19 pandemic as a systemic shock that exposed deep inequalities and the fragility of market-driven systems. It explores the intersection of public health and biodiversity loss, the role of the welfare state versus authoritarian and populist models, the digital divide in urban centers, and the disproportionate impact of the crisis on marginalized groups, including migrant workers and the elderly. The text advocates for a 'green recovery' that prioritizes a 'foundational economy' of basic needs over growth, promotes digital inclusion as a human right, and recognizes the link between environmental degradation and zoonotic disease emergence.

• The emergence of new deadly diseases is driven by industrialised food systems and extractive land use, with deforestation specifically increasing zoonotic transmission when over 25 per cent of original forest cover is lost.
• The pandemic highlighted the necessity of the welfare state as a strategic institution for the 21st century, contrasting it with authoritarian state capitalism and right-wing populism.
• A 'foundational economy'—comprising essential services like healthcare, education, and utilities—is critical for survival and should be prioritised over a market economy focused on individual preferences and growth.
• Digitalisation has accelerated the 'digital divide', where access to internet and hardware is determined by income, age, and education, effectively limiting access to fundamental human rights.
• The pandemic disproportionately affected racialised communities in the UK, with Bangladeshi populations being twice as likely to die from the virus as white people.
• Mass tourism in cities like Venice and Rome has led to 'overtourism', causing environmental degradation, such as shore erosion from cruise ships, and the displacement of local residents through the 'Airbnb effect'.
• Migrant workers in Greece, South Africa, and Iran faced extreme precarity during the pandemic, often being excluded from government social protection and poverty relief schemes.
• The pandemic has accelerated the use of 'bio-surveillance' and 'shifting borders', where biometric data and AI-powered tools are used to regulate mobility both at territorial edges and within populations.
• Antimicrobial resistance is a systemic threat to global health and food security, with deaths projected to rise to 10 million people per year by 2050.
• The European Union's recovery package is seen as a significant transfer of resources, but there are concerns regarding the lack of political accountability and the risk of funds being spent on purely economic rather than ecological or social recovery.

APA

Green European Journal (2020). LIFE UNDER SHOCK UNDERSTANDING THE PANDEMIC. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GEJ-Volume-20-Winter-2020.pdf

Chicago

Green European Journal. LIFE UNDER SHOCK UNDERSTANDING THE PANDEMIC. 2020. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GEJ-Volume-20-Winter-2020.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green European Journal |title=LIFE UNDER SHOCK UNDERSTANDING THE PANDEMIC |date=2020 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GEJ-Volume-20-Winter-2020.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greeneuropeanjournal2020life, author = {{Green European Journal}}, title = {{LIFE UNDER SHOCK UNDERSTANDING THE PANDEMIC}}, institution = {Green European Journal}, year = {2020}, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/GEJ-Volume-20-Winter-2020.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }