Covid-19 & Me
I live in Ibiza, one of the Balearic Islands off the south east coast of Spain. You might have heard of the louder, party areas, like Ibiza Town and Sant Antoni de Portmany, but mostly it is quiet. Now, it is usually quiet. Everywhere.
Despite the fact that the Balearic Islands have not been as affected by the virus as in the rest of the country, we have been in “Estado de Alarma” (a “state of alert”) since March 14 and unable to leave our homes. I am in strict confinement. I am by nature, unconfined, a politician and a Flamenco dancer, passionate about being with people. So being in one place is unnatural and uncomfortable. But any misfortune I feel is totally insignificant compared to the suffering of others, in Ibiza, in Spain, Europe and around the world.
I will avoid criticism of the central government of Spain. I will not make reference to its chaotic management of the crisis, the decisions they have or have not made, or the vacuum of leadership. Rather, I want to reflect a little on how Covid 19 is influencing our customs, values, and economic and productive system.
Our little island in the Mediterranean is a place where almost the 90% of the economy comes from the tertiary sector. The vast majority of the population lives and lives off tourism, precisely the sector that will take the longest to recover. A brutal economic crisis is already upon us.
This harsh reality of facts makes us think about the extent to which we are dependent on all other sectors at all levels; food, products, energy and so on. The paradox of isolation is that what happens on this island is not an isolated event. It is a consequence of the globalized economy model to which we belong. So too, is our survival and our future.
With the COVID-19 crisis we have seen how countries have limited the export and import of products that up until now were essential for all countries. This has made us think that we need to reconsider which supplies will have to be locally manufactured and which we can depend on from elsewhere. We need to renew investments in the primary sector (agriculture) and of course, in renewable energy on the island.Therefore, we also need to consider the relationships between developed, globalized economies and less developed ones.
There will be no choice in some communities but to reinvent themselves and start investing in sectors in which they did not invest before.We will need to start thinking about circular economies that are much more efficient and effective, which adopt and implement sustainable systems thinking models.
Looking out to sea, if I adopt a positive perspective and imagine what might be on the horizon, perhaps we can think that the Covid-19 crisis can also be a massive moment of transformation. One that can provide an opportunity to create and implement ideas of innovation, and one that provides an unmissable opportunity to address in a very real way, the interconnected problem of climate change.