With the COVID-19 pandemic driving the economy toward another recession , policymakers are looking for ways to revitalize the workforce and our financial system. But as they think about how to rebuild the economy, and what our future looks like post-coronavirus crisis, it’s crucial to take steps that simultaneously prioritize our climate goals. “There’s no doubt that this economic downturn caused by the outbreak is going to focus political attention on job retention and creation . . . especially after months of curtailed economic activity,” says Devashree Saha, a senior associate at World Resource Institute, where she supports local and federal policymakers as they work to reduce emissions and enact clean energy. “But I think this also provides an almost historic opportunity to emphasize low-carbon industry and infrastructure.” Despite what some may think, economic growth and the climate are not at odds; research has actually shown that we can have economic growth that is both strong and environmentally sustainable, thanks to technological innovations and investments in sustainable infrastructure. Saha does not want to minimize this pandemic’s current health impacts on the public, but she notes that it’s important to look at the big picture of the world we’ll be […]
Reading Time: < 1 minute
