When nature speaks we have to listen: COVID-19 and environmental values

The statement posits that global crises like COVID-19 and locust invasions serve as warnings that nature can bring the world to a standstill if environmental protection is not prioritized. It highlights that marginalized communities, including small-scale traders and farmers, are disproportionately affected by these catastrophes and existing climate and biodiversity pressures. The author advocates for mainstreaming sustainable development into governance through policy changes, long-term impact assessments, and participatory decision-making involving indigenous people, women, and youth.

• Environmental, socio-economic, mental health, political, and security factors are deeply interconnected, as evidenced by the global impact of COVID-19 and the locust invasion in Kenya.
• Marginalized populations face compounded vulnerabilities from the pandemic and locusts due to existing pressures from biodiversity loss, the climate change crisis, development projects, and food and water insecurity.
• Preventing future crises requires mainstreaming sustainable development in governance by updating failed policies, assessing long-term administrative impacts, and adopting participatory approaches that include youth, women, local communities, and indigenous people.

APA

Henderson, I. (2020). When nature speaks we have to listen: COVID-19 and environmental values. Natural Justice. https://naturaljustice.org/when-nature-speaks-we-have-to-listen-covid-19-and-environmental-values/

Chicago

Henderson, Ian. When nature speaks we have to listen: COVID-19 and environmental values. Natural Justice, 2020. https://naturaljustice.org/when-nature-speaks-we-have-to-listen-covid-19-and-environmental-values/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Henderson |first1=Ian |title=When nature speaks we have to listen: COVID-19 and environmental values |publisher=Natural Justice |date=17 April 2020 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/when-nature-speaks-we-have-to-listen-covid-19-and-environmental-values/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{henderson2020when, author = {Henderson, Ian}, title = {{When nature speaks we have to listen: COVID-19 and environmental values}}, publisher = {Natural Justice}, year = {2020}, month = apr, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/when-nature-speaks-we-have-to-listen-covid-19-and-environmental-values/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }