COVID-19: Planet delivers its strongest warning to date

By Burak Bir

ANKARA (AA) - The UN Environment Program (UNEP) on Tuesday issued a response to the novel coronavirus saying the earth has given its strongest warning so far.

"UNEP’s response covers four areas: Helping nations manage COVID-19 waste, delivering a transformational change for nature and people, working to ensure economic recovery packages create resilience to future crises, and modernizing global environmental governance," it said in a statement.

The response is another step of the UN body toward mapping zoonotic threats, protecting the environment as well as reducing the risk of future pandemics, diseases like COVID-19.

“In COVID-19, the planet has delivered its strongest warning to date that humanity must change,” Inger Andersen, UNEP executive director, said in the statement.

After originating in China last December, COVID-19 has spread to at least 187 countries and regions. Europe and the US are currently the worst-hit regions.

The pandemic has killed over 286,600 worldwide, with total infections more than 4.19 million, while recoveries exceeded 1.46 million, according to figures compiled by the US’ Johns Hopkins University.