When humans suffer, nature rejoices

Living in the Anthropocene as is means that the growth of human well-being is burdened with high cost to the natural environment.

In the same manner, human suffering gives nature an opportunity for recovery.

The coronavirus outbreak reminds us of this balancing act.

Residents of Beijing report hearing the birds better:

Reduced human activity due to the #coronavirus means we can hear the birds better! One of the most active in my compound right now is the Light-vented Bulbul (白头鹎, Bái tóu bēi). A vernacular name is 白头公, bái-tóu gōng, literally translated as 'white-headed old-man'. pic.twitter.com/BWMeAqHmMW

— Birding Beijing 北京观鸟 (@BirdingBeijing) February 12, 2020

With a substantial decrease in the volume of international and national flights in China in the past month, as well as lower electricity demands, country's CO2 emissions have fallen by a quarter. Experts, however, caution that this is likely to be only a drop in annual emissions, and that the impact would come only with the long-term fall in demand.