We in the #climatecrisis-fighting business need to understand what #COVID19 will mean for climate action. Some COVID impacts will accelerate it; others will slow it down. We need to start preparing now and asking what we need to do differently. 6 issues loom biggest for me:
1/ Financial Response: COVID has shown what a "wartime footing" financial response looks like. For years, we have been calling for one on climate. COVID shows both that it can be done and how it can be done--with concerted fiscal, monetary, and financial action.
2/ Imagination: COVID shows the cascading economic and social impacts of a full-blown, global ecological shock. Yes, COVID acts faster than climate change, but many of the impacts are similar. Climate chaos risk will feel a lot less like scare-mongering or fiction after this.
3/ Burden Sharing: COVID is going to hit developing country economies very hard, and they will take longer to recover than rich ones. After COVID, most poor countries will have less to spend on climate. Rich countries will have to carry the bulk of the burden for a while.
4/ Resilience: COVID shows that preparation, strong institutions, good data, managerial skill, and risk modeling save lives. What makes us resilient to pandemics can also advance climate #resilience. We can guard against both perils at the same time.
@Alice_C_Hill
@Alice_C_Hill
5/#GreenStimulus: Some folks are waiting for a big, 2009-type infrastructure bill to "green". Maybe it's coming. But maybe not. When we are done saving businesses and workers, there may not be enough fiscal headroom and political capital left. The time to green stuff is now.
6/ Fatigue. When we beat this pandemic, people are going to be very, very tired. They may not going to want to hear about taking on the climate crisis right away. Sensitive messaging will be needed to help us all catch our breath and push for climate action with renewed vigor.
