What does a green recovery look like? That is the question governments around the world are considering as they decide how to align their $12tn worth of economic rescue packages for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic with their obligations under the Paris climate accord.
The UK is expected to announce a 10-point recovery plan this week, and observers have warned that if it lacks ambition, it could undermine the world’s goals of limiting catastrophic climate breakdown.
While some countries – notably the EU, and especially member states France and Germany – have emphasised a push for low-carbon economic growth, prioritising renewable energy, green transport, nature restoration and other environmentally beneficial projects, others – including Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey – have not.
Guardian analysis has also revealed that in some countries – such as South Korea, the US and China – the green part of a national economic rescue package has been outweighed by the high-carbon elements, including bailouts for fossil fuel companies or carbon-intensive industries such as airlines. Read more…
