Governments and people around the world are struggling with the devastating health and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. It is all the more remarkable to see the speed of political developments in support of a “Green Recovery”.
By 11th April 2020, European climate and environmental ministers from Austria, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, France, Germany and Greece had signed a joint letter which acknowledged that while –
“Our societies have shut down, borders are closed, unemployment is on the rise and companies are struggling… we must not lose sight of the persisting climate and ecological crisis.”
The letter called on the European Commission to use the EU Green Deal as the framework, and declared that –
“We need to send a strong political signal to the world and our citizens that the EU will lead by example even in difficult times like the present and blaze the trail to climate neutrality and the fulfilment of the Paris Agreement… action to protect and conserve biodiversity must be a key part of our response…”.
On 14th April 2020 an alliance of 180 European Ministers, MEPs, business leaders and environmental activists signed a letter welcoming the declaration of European leaders to do “whatever it takes” to tackle the social and economic consequences of the crisis, but calling on this to take the form of an economy built around Green principles, with the fight against climate change and the degradation of nature going hand in hand with the economic measures –
“Covid-19 will not make climate change and nature degradation go away. We will not win the fight against Covid-19 without a solid economic response. Let’s not oppose those two battles, but let’s fight and win them at the same time. By doing so, we will only be stronger together.”
Also on 14th April 2020 the UK’s Climate Change Committee announced that it would amend its 2020 work programme to respond to the global Covid-19 pandemic, and -
“refocus its annual Progress Report to Parliament in June to include advice on supporting a resilient recovery”.
The Climate Change Committee also announced that Pete Betts, former chief climate negotiator for both the UK and EU, and a veteran of 16 UN climate summits, would be offering his expert advice to the Committee to guide its international work in the run up to “the most important summit on climate change since the landmark Paris Agreement in 2015”.
Welcome, heartening news at a time like this.
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