Implications of Living in Harmony with Nature for Urban Sustainability in the COVID-19 Era

Abstract

In the present globalising world, technological advancement, breakthroughs, innovations and flourishing civilisation

are hinged on the kindness and benevolence of nature and its resources. When in a harmonious relationship with man,

nature nurtures mankind to abundance, peaceful coexistence, livability and prosperity. However, man's present

consumption and production patterns, coupled with ostentatious lifestyles, have created a scenario of the unabated

onslaught of abuse, neglect, and disregard for the environment, resulting in resource exploitation, climate change,

deforestation and wildlife trade, degradation, loss of biodiversity, and a host of others –which are the growing

challenges presently confronting and threatening the entire human settlement; whether rural or urban setting,

developed and developing nations. This paper examines the meaning, origin and dimensions of the concept of harmony

and highlights the paradigm shift of its relationship with humanity to the present age. It also traces the origin, causes

and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic to humanity’s disharmony with nature through contact with pathogens of

zoonotic origin that often result in the sustainability crisis. Until now, most efforts to prevent the spread of new

diseases tend to focus on vaccine development, early diagnosis and containment, but very little consideration has been

given to strategies for living in harmony with nature to ensure urban sustainability in the post-COVID-19 era. Content

review, analysis and synthesis of relevant documented evidence such as newspaper reports, publications and data of

organisations and agencies, as well as Google search, were utilised for the paper. Concepts of carrying capacity and

ecological footprints provide the theoretical anchor for the study. Findings established that human factors or activities

such as urbanisation, deforestation, resource exploitation, etc., are responsible for the disharmony with nature and

exacerbate the spread of zoonotic diseases from animals to humans, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The

paper further reveals that pandemic risks can be lowered by reducing human activities that drive the loss of

biodiversity and the conservation of protected areas. The paper recommends that government invigorate enforcement

of laws in all aspects of illegal wildlife trade and improve community education in disease hotspots about the health

risks of wildlife trade.