Recently it’s felt like we’ve been living in a near-constant state of emergency. In fact I have on my nightstand a book of that title – Living in the Long Emergency, which I have yet to read. The truth is that the joint crises of a global pandemic, a deeply flawed economic system, structural racism, fraying political institutions, and growing climate chaos don't leave me with a lot of enthusiasm for this as a bedtime story.

Here we are, weeks and months into an unprecedented global exploration into isolation due to COVID-19. And once again, the most poignant takeaway of this new territory may very well be our keen rediscovery of how our lives depend on one another.

In an interview with the Santa Barbara Independent Sigrid Wright, Executive Director of the Community Environmental Council shares her reflections on the similarities between the coronavirus pandemic and the climate crisis, and how the current emergency could help us navigate the even bigger threat to our future.

The pandemic could be a crossroads for the climate if we act together now. We’ve learned a few key things from the climate movement that can be helpful here. And vice versa; what we’re learning from this extremely challenging public health crisis could make this a watershed moment for climate change and an enormous opportunity for transformation.