As the theory goes that rapid economic growth benefits the country in many ways but it is clouded by a degrading environment, experts say environmentally destructive investment patterns and activities must be stopped to ensure a resilient COVID-19 recovery and achieve SDGs.
They were addressing a webinar titled “Building a Clean and Resilient Recovery from the COVID-19”, organised by Bangladesh, the United Kingdom Mission to the UN and World Resources Institute in association with the 2020 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development on Tuesday evening.
During this virtual discussion, the speakers showcased concrete opportunities for policymakers, the public sector and civil society to use climate action to support rapid and inclusive recovery from COVID-19, framed around the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement on climate change.
They focused on how countries can deliver enhanced national climate commitments and long-term climate strategies in the lead-up to COP26, and measures to strengthen adaptation and resilience to future shocks.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister for Bangladesh Md Shahab Uddin said that a sustainable and resilient COVID-19 recovery should be built, synced with advanced national climate plans, long-term strategies and achievement of the SDGs.
“For the economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis to be durable and resilient, a return to environmentally destructive investment patterns and activities must be avoided,” he said adding that climate change and biodiversity loss could cause social and economic damage far larger than those caused by COVID-19.
In the perspective of the “Paris Agreement,” he said the relative importance of various dimensions will likely vary across different country contexts.
He also said recovery packages to “build back better” include alignment with long-term emission reduction goals, factoring in resilience to climate impacts, slowing biodiversity loss and increasing circularity of supply chains.
Triggering investments and societal changes will both reduce the likelihood of future shocks and improve our resilience to those shocks when they do occur, whether from disease or environmental degradation, he added.
Shahab Uddin also said prioritising short-term economic growth and efficiency over long-term resilience – can have huge societal costs. To improve public support, recovery policies need to be measured on more than just economic growth and total job creation, he added.
Rt Hon Lord Zac Goldsmith, Minister for the Environment for the United Kingdom said, “All countries respond to COVID-19, the coming months are crucial for climate and the 2030 Agenda. Decisions that we take now are going to have impacts for decades to come.”
Keeyong Chung, Director General for Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Scientific Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Republic of Korea said, “The Korean New deal package is Korea’s bold response, putting the New deal at the heart of it. Such measures, we hope, would do better and greener while making efforts to achieve the longer-term SDGs and the Paris Agreement targets.”
Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO of Sustainable Energy for All, said, “There has never been a better time to invest in clean, efficient renewable energy. Countries that recover better with sustainable energy will see the payoff in the form of resilient economics, new jobs and faster energy development.”
Helen Mountford, Vice President, Climate & Economics, World Resources Institute was the moderator of the side event.
Ambassador Valentine Rugwabiza, Permanent Representative of Rwanda; Ambassador E. Courtenay Rattray, Permanent Representative of Jamaica and Additional Secretary (Development Wing), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bangladesh, among others, spoke on the occasion.