Without a doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of various governments around the world. As countries decide how to move forward and best foster a quick recovery, more and more city leaders are pushing for the adoption of green recovery programs. In this way, they argue, countries can heal from the pandemic and prevent future ones while aiding in the global fight against climate change.
Given the central role that governments will play in procuring economic recovery programs and stimulus packages, many argue that this moment is the best opportunity to accelerate the necessary transition to sustainable infrastructure. By investing in sustainable projects and practices instead of returning to “business as usual” and pollutive industries, cities can build their climate resilience while also creating millions of new “future-proof” jobs – that is to say, jobs in sustainable sectors that will not fall prey to collapsing industries – thereby boosting their economies.
Prominent groups around the world have been calling for such actions. In late May, for example, an open letter signed by over 200 organizations representing 40 million health workers globally was sent to the G20 leaders, urging them to address public health and environmental concerns when designing their stimulus packages. Had they implemented such measures earlier, they write, the world could have been better prepared for a crisis like this one, and its impact could have been greatly reduced.
Indeed, experts point to a number of benefits that can be realized if recovery programs are designed with climate change strategies in mind. As mentioned earlier, investment in greener infrastructure can create new jobs and bolster economies while also building a resilience against future crises, all of which can, in the long run, save trillions of dollars, according to a report published by the International Renewable Energy Agency. The investments put into developing greener infrastructure will also ultimately pale in comparison to the $11 trillion USD that has already been spent globally on fighting the pandemic and keeping economies afloat.
Furthermore, by promoting measures that will help lower emissions, combat air pollution, prevent further environmental degradation, and create more opportunities for social development, sustainable recovery strategies can prevent the occurrence of future widespread health crises and improve the health of vulnerable groups that would otherwise be highly susceptible to disease.
Noting this, important leaders across the planet have been releasing plans to integrate green recovery strategies. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said that the European Green Deal will serve as the guideline for developing the EU’s economic recovery program and that plans for investing hundreds of billions of dollars into retrofitting homes, improving renewable energy capacities, and constructing zero-emission trains, among other initiatives, are already underway. South Korea is following a similar approach, adopting a plan that will mirror Europe’s Green Deal and divert funds away from the use of coal towards renewable energy sources instead. Leaders from the UK, Germany, Costa Rica, Rwanda, and Colombia have all announced similar strategies.
While some notable countries, such as the US and China, have yet to show signs of following this pattern, scientists and economists are insisting that cooperation is imperative, as this may be the world’s last chance to effectively restructure the global economy to create a viably sustainable future. Although most world leaders had initially planned to gradually integrate sustainable strategies into their domestic affairs over the course of a few years, because recovery programs are being largely restructured right now, whatever strategies are implemented will be set for the foreseeable future. As such, what is decided in the next few months will determine how the global community operates for the next decade.
For this reason, comparisons are being drawn between how the pandemic unfolded and how governments are reacting to climate change. Similar to how the idea of “flattening the curve” was necessary to ensure that national health systems would not collapse, so too must the planet implement preventative strategies and adapt to changing realities, lest we all be dangerously unprepared when the worst effects of climate change arrive, too.
