A lot of countries around the world are still experiencing coral bleaching. “Coral reefs are suffering unprecedented declines all around the world due to climate change and haven’t had any respite associated with coronavirus. I imagine little has actually changed in the vast majority of ecosystems. But, in places like Venice, where the canal cleared and you could see different fish, they were probably there all along, they just became more visible as there was less boat traffic. “There will have been some immediate benefits for a variety of different species, for example those that have a tendency to get hit by vehicles, because people were going out less during lockdown and there was a reduction in road traffic as a result. “We were perhaps just noticing them more while we were all home due to the pandemic and then sharing the excitement on social media. “Most of the stories I saw online at the beginning of lockdown, about sightings of different animals coming into unusual places, were things I would actually expect to see normally,” says Dr Michael Sweet, Associate Professor in Aquatic Biology at the University of Derby. So, are these early positive reports a true reflection of what is happening to the wider environment or just examples of feel-good propaganda? In March, satellite imagery from the European Space Agency showed a rapid decline in global greenhouse gas emissions over cities in Asia and Europe during lockdown, and a report issued by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) found that there had been an approximate 40% reduction in the average level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution over the previous 30 days, resulting in 11,000 avoided deaths from air pollution.

Whether this behaviour was expected or not, it’s clear that a reduction in demand for global energy, with fossil fuels being the hardest hit, international travel restrictions and industrial processes coming to a near standstill have had a positive environmental impact.

Sightings of dolphins and jellyfish in Venice’s now clear waterways, sheep exploring Preston city centre and deer roaming around East London were just a handful of examples circulating on social media of our wildlife seemingly stepping out of the shadows while we retreated into our homes.

Climate lockdown meaning