As EU leaders continue to thrash out the details of the bloc’s recovery measures, there is growing evidence a green recovery is the best way of tackling the mounting economic and jobs crisis—both in the short and long terms. COVID-19 is going to result in a substantial economic cost, both in gross domestic product (GDP)...Read more »
Commentary
How Can Procurement Drive the Global Green Recovery?
Public procurement is more crucial than ever, as most of the COVID-19 recovery spending will be channelled through this process—so how can we ensure it drives innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability? And can we take this opportunity to rebrand it as a strategic (not just administrative) government function? As soon as the COVID-19 pandemic began, we saw an...Read more »
Debt-for-Climate Swaps Can Help Developing Countries Make a Green Recovery
In Argentina, green debt relief has supported forest conservation, an approach that can and should be scaled up as coronavirus stretches budgets. At last month’s meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), three topics dominated the conversation: the coronavirus pandemic, greening the recovery, and climate change. For many developing countries, especially the poorest, the overwhelming...Read more »
How has Simulation Changed What Can It Offer in the Context of Green Recovery?
There is uncertainty in the world, more now than ever. The VUCA concept, which was used to characterize the Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity felt in the United States following the Cold War, is now applicable on a global scale today. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic is one clear example of the VUCA concept’s manifestation...Read more »
Why We Should Use Simulation to Inform Policy Decisions in a Post-Pandemic Environment
The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the urgency of investing in policy decisions that will mitigate the risk and scale of environmental and economic crises in the future. With many governments using infrastructure spending as a recovery tactic, policy makers need to prioritize sustainable and resilient projects. Simulation offers data-driven and evidence-based forecasts of a project’s...Read more »
NDC Enhancement and COVID-19 Recovery: Building Blocks for a Sustainable Future
As 2020 began, the question of whether and how countries would strengthen their commitments under the Paris Agreement loomed large, driven by a global youth climate movement and a growing recognition of the urgency to keep temperature change below 1.5 degrees C. The sudden arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic greatly complicated this task, consuming the...Read more »
An Economic Recovery Should Invest in Canadian Wealth and Well-Being
Investments into Canada’s social, human, and natural capital are needed to ensure growth is sustained, equitable and opportunity-generating. Canada’s economy has been repeatedly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fall-out. The combination of economic shutdowns, social distancing requirements, low oil prices and historic declines in export volumes have extended the downturn. As both...Read more »
Building Climate-Resilient and Equitable Cities During COVID-19
Cities are on the frontlines of COVID-19, with urban residents facing devastating health and economic impacts. Many city leaders are responding with creative solutions, recognizing that actions in response to the pandemic can also make cities greener and more climate resilient. Addis Ababa, Bogota, Kampala, Berlin and Brussels created new bike lanes to reduce risk...Read more »
Making a green recovery inclusive for all Canadians
Canadians want a green and inclusive recovery. Here’s how to advance both. The damage that COVID-19’s dual economic and health crises have brought on Canada have been well-documented. Although the economy has started to recover, Canadians continue to face a lengthy period of economic turbulence ahead. The federal government has indicated that spending on an...Read more »
How Can India’s Energy Sector Recover Sustainably from COVID-19?
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) published the second part of a commentary series about the recovery of India’s energy sector. The series takes a detailed look at how India’s energy sector is coping with the impacts of COVID-19 and what this means for the...Read more »