Coronavirus Recovery
BMU and WRI Global Dialogue Series
Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Economic Crisis: Building Back Better Aligned to the Paris Agreement and the SDGs
About the Series
WRI and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) hosted a series of global dialogues on how the world could respond to the COVID-19 economic crisis in ways that aligned with the objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Agreement.
The purpose of this Global Dialogue series was to inform and guide approaches for recovery and reflating the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic — to build back better with more resilient, sustainable and inclusive economies. The dialogues brought together a diverse group of international participants to inform a joint narrative, strategy and recommendations. The series considered critical linked challenges that the world faced during COVID-19, including the climate crisis, massive biodiversity loss, issues of inequality, and how to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. See the full list of dialogue participants here.
Key Takeaways
Summary for Policymaking: Major conclusions from the Global Dialogue series
A glimpse at what countries did to pave the way for a green COVID-19 recovery, the path ahead, and how governments can continue to propel the transition in key sectors.
Session 1: Aligning Economic Recovery with Inclusive, Decarbonized and Resilient Growth
The critical time frame for action was the six to 18 months after the pandemic, when countries invested $10-$20 trillion or more in boosting economic growth in the wake of COVID-19. Decisions made regarding recovery and economic stimulus measures will continue to determine how green and resilient the world will be in years to come.
Session 2: Toward Recovery and Long-term Resilience
We are more aware than ever of the need for global resilience, especially for the world’s most vulnerable. Building back from the COVID-19 crisis was an opportunity to strengthen global resilience to future shocks — such as climate change, pandemics and economic crises — while simultaneously addressing the near-term challenges of unemployment, preventing massive food insecurity and rebooting the economy.
Session 3: Energy Transitions and Industry Bailouts
After emerging from the COVID-19 crisis, with demand for energy rebounding, renewable energy, green technologies and transformational pathways needed to be at the center of the recovery process. Economic support should have gone towards industries and sectors that were fit for the future and in line with climate and sustainability goals, not toward the industries and technologies of the past.
Session 4: Biodiversity, Land-use and Nature-based Solutions in the Recovery
Environmental health and human health are deeply intertwined. As humans encroach further on natural ecosystems, the usual barriers between pathogens in animals are being eroded, increasing the risk of disease spillovers and future pandemics. During COVID-19 recovery, we needed to implement systematic approaches to protect ecosystems and biodiversity and mobilize nature-based solutions — including in agriculture and food systems — that could address climate change and the SDGs.
Session 5: Cities and Transport in the Recovery
Cities and transport systems were on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis, and those in the developing world — especially the urban poor — were the hardest hit. Yet cities also offered some of the most promising opportunities for responding to the crisis with speed and impact. Economic support in the COVID-19 recovery should have provided significant and long-lasting benefits in cities for health, equity, sustainability and resilience to future shocks.
The German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) provided funding to support the Global Dialogue.
