In 2020, the world faced a new challenge, the coronavirus pandemic. A virus that originated in China quickly spread to the most remote corners of the globe, changing the way each and every one of us has lived for the past year.
Just one year later, highly effective vaccines have not only been developed, but are available to the global population. With one catch – access isn’t equal in all countries.
In fact, before the vaccines were even approved, wealthy nations scrambled to buy up hundreds of millions of advance doses, leaving little to nothing for the rest of the world. Now, millions worldwide may have to wait years for their first dose, a risk for many individuals, and also for the larger global population.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the surface many inequities and injustices worldwide. When global lockdowns happened in early 2020, open air markets across Africa, India, and the Middle East closed, making starvation and food security larger issues of concern for many than the virus itself. Essential workers, marginalized communities, and those living in poverty have been hit especially hard by the virus, finding themselves unable to halt their work and stay home, while also living in close quarters with many people, allowing the virus to spread rapidly.
Indigenous communities, living far from urban centers, have been exposed to the virus as extractive industries continue operations and workers bring COVID from city centers to the far reaches of the globe. On top of that, access to medical care and hospital beds has been a challenge for many. For example, some of our grantees in Brazil live far from urban centers, requiring at least five days travel by boat to reach medical care – a distinct challenge in a country hit hard by the virus.
Unequal access to the vaccine is continued evidence of the challenges and inequities we face as a global society, and is an issue that affects the entire global population. Left unchecked, especially in places where few people are vaccinated or have immunity, the virus will continue to mutate, leading to variants that those who have received the vaccine may not be protected against. It is in our best interest to vaccinate everyone across the globe, and fast.
What does this mean for environmental activists and those we fund at Global Greengrants Fund?
Throughout the pandemic, many of our grantees have been able to adjust their work, either to respond to the effects of the pandemic itself, or to continue their efforts in a new world with less interaction and face to face contact. They’ve taken to developing strategies for resilience, using tactics of digital organizing, and have continued to address the most pressing environmental and social injustices, including those exacerbated by the pandemic.
However, with the possibility of widespread global vaccinations seemingly far in the future, our grantees, advisors, and coordinators continue to live and work in a world restricted by the threat of the virus. The ability to meet in person, to stand in front of policymakers, to travel to conferences and meetings – all of this is curtailed by the ongoing pandemic and lack of access to doses.
Meanwhile, the threat of climate change grows, extraction of fossil fuels continues, and many struggle to protect their rights to clean air, water, and soil from behind masks and in the confines of their homes.
What is the best course of action?
Global programs such as COVAX are trying to increase access to vaccines worldwide, but are running into obstacles, including limited supplies. Meanwhile, our partners at Friends of the Earth International have laid out four principles for a just recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, principles that demand justice for all.
At Greengrants, we continue to mobilize resources to grassroots activists and address the justice and rights issues connected to the environment. We elevate the voices of our grantees, those calling for widespread equality, including access to vaccines.
Above all, we’ve found our network to be resilient, continuing their efforts to fight for what is right, despite the challenges brought by the past year and obstacles faced by environmental defenders taking on some of the world’s most powerful entities.
The need to get resources into the hands of community-led organizations is growing, especially as the climate crisis becomes more urgent, and the need for creative solutions continues with the lack of access to vaccines.
We ask you to stand with us, to fight for justice, and to call attention to the need for global equality.
Photo credit: Wambui Gichobi | Survival Media Agency