While climate activists are pushing for green policies to be included in the COVID-19 response, most governments remain focused on the immediate public-health and economic emergencies. If reformers want to make the most of the recovery, they will need to offer proposals that serve both the planet and ordinary people.
LONDON – With the COVID-19 pandemic having triggered a deep global recession, talk of a “green recovery” is in danger of remaining just talk. Right now, policymakers are focused on saving lives and preventing a full-fledged depression. And yet, climate change ultimately poses a much greater challenge than COVID-19. At least with the virus, there’s hope for a vaccine, perhaps within a year or two. Tackling the existential threat of climate change is a more complex, longer-term challenge.
LONDON – With the COVID-19 pandemic having triggered a deep global recession, talk of a “green recovery” is in danger of remaining just talk. Right now, policymakers are focused on saving lives and preventing a full-fledged depression. And yet, climate change ultimately poses a much greater challenge than COVID-19. At least with the virus, there’s hope for a vaccine, perhaps within a year or two. Tackling the existential threat of climate change is a more complex, longer-term challenge.