The theme of environmental crisis has been present in the public debate for several decades, and forcefully resurfaced in 2015 when the 2030 Agenda containing the goals of sustainable development was launched, including the preservation of all forms of life, the struggle against global warming and the production of clean and renewable energy. In the same year, the publication of the papal encyclical Laudato si’ on “integral ecology” and the conclusion of the Paris agreements on climate change also prompted debate on this theme. Throughout the years, environmental issues have progressively permeated the realm of scientific research as well.

As various formats of lockdown to contain the Covid-19 virus in many nations across the world continue into their second year, there is an urgent need to critically analyze this situation and its historical backdrop from more traditionally left-oriented perspectives. This urgent need is likewise required in light of the more recent global vaccine rollouts and various digital health pass mandates that have followed as a supposed ‘way out’ of the lockdown logic. Such lockdowns, health pass mandates, and blanket vaccine rollouts clearly attempt to posit some kind of ‘public good’ or ‘solidarity’ over more individualist considerations; sentiments which on the surface appear to be benevolent and even left-oriented.