COVID-19 Crisis, Pandemic Resilience and Linkages to Land: An Exposition

Abstract

For a COVID-19 like pandemic, the Achilles heel is an unsuspecting villain -rapid and global land use changes. The way governments, businesses and communities see, relate to and use land, not only influences the outbreak but also determines their impact on humanity and development. Drawing upon empirical evidences from epidemiology and land governance, this article argues why the current situation implores the need to focus on the interaction between land use and global diseases. Apart from dwelling on causal links, we discuss the externalities that industrial, urban and rural development in India are poised to face because of the pandemic's potential impact on land, biodiversity and wildlife habitat, property rights and housing. We also underline reform options for policy and practice, that must be discussed and acted upon.

Impact of Covid-19 on Oman's Construction Industry

“…In China (> 84 thousand people), the pandemic declined in March, but by the end of April, new cases of the disease were revealed (Woertz, 2020). In order to prevent the mass spread of infection and overload the health care system, many countries have taken unprecedented measures -the introduction of full or partial quarantine (self-isolation of the population, stopping all non-vital enterprises), and the cessation of transportation (Choudhury, Ghosh & Sindhi, 2020). Such measures will inevitably lead to a slowdown in production, rising unemployment, and a drop-in consumption (Choudhury, Ghosh & Sindhi, 2020).…”

“…In order to prevent the mass spread of infection and overload the health care system, many countries have taken unprecedented measures -the introduction of full or partial quarantine (self-isolation of the population, stopping all non-vital enterprises), and the cessation of transportation (Choudhury, Ghosh & Sindhi, 2020). Such measures will inevitably lead to a slowdown in production, rising unemployment, and a drop-in consumption (Choudhury, Ghosh & Sindhi, 2020). Unprecedented measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 will have a negative effect on countries' economies regardless of their integration into global value chains (Choudhury, Ghosh & Sindhi, 2020).…”

“…Such measures will inevitably lead to a slowdown in production, rising unemployment, and a drop-in consumption (Choudhury, Ghosh & Sindhi, 2020). Unprecedented measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 will have a negative effect on countries' economies regardless of their integration into global value chains (Choudhury, Ghosh & Sindhi, 2020). The experts from The International Monetary Fund (IMF) believes that world GDP will decrease by 3% by the end of 2020 -a much higher indicator than during financial crisis of 2008-2009 A similar fall will make the current crisis worst since the Great Depression1 (Choudhury, Ghosh & Sindhi, 2020).…”

“…Unprecedented measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 will have a negative effect on countries' economies regardless of their integration into global value chains (Choudhury, Ghosh & Sindhi, 2020). The experts from The International Monetary Fund (IMF) believes that world GDP will decrease by 3% by the end of 2020 -a much higher indicator than during financial crisis of 2008-2009 A similar fall will make the current crisis worst since the Great Depression1 (Choudhury, Ghosh & Sindhi, 2020). It is noted that in the baseline scenario, anticipating a recession in the second half of 2020, expected 5.8% global growth in 2021 as economic normalization activity.…”

Quantity Surveyors’ Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Mixed Method Approach

“…In anticipation of COVID-19's negative effects, governments have implemented several measures to curb the pandemic's spread, including full or partial lockdowns, border closures, domestic health protocols, and limiting the public transportation system (Choudhury et al, 2020;Hansen, 2020). In Indonesia, the government has issued various regulations for handling COVID-19 outbreaks in construction projects.…”