The year 2020 has witnessed an unprecedented COVID-19 crisis where many human lives have been lost. We have also witnessed the tremendous magnitude and speed of collapse in economic activity– something unseen in our lifetime.
As the world is struggling with the rapid-onset COVID-19 crisis, and while it is early to conclude which response strategies were the most successful, we can already start drawing some lessons to help shape our response to the slow-onset disaster of climate change. We share here seven such lessons on how to ensure that the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis will happen in a way that will still put the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement at the center of sustainable development efforts.
Around the world, the lockdown measures to contain COVID-19 have led to economic contraction and a significant drop in energy consumption including electricity, gas and oil. Solar power plant in modern city, Sustainable renewable energy.
The destruction caused by natural disasters, which is becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change, is graphic and frightening. However, there is a significant impact on the financial system as well when insured losses increase in the aftermath of such events.
Mobility is an essential part of urban life. People travel for various reasons, such as going to work, educational institutions, recreation and shopping. Asian cities offer diverse means of commuting: walking, cycling, motorcycles, public and mass transport, micro-mobility, paratransit, private cars, public taxis and ride hailing systems.
The global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic is causing severe hardship to millions of people from Beijing to Bangkok, Dhaka to Da Nang, Kolkata to Karachi: leaving no place and community untouched.
At this critical juncture, the medical profession is working 24x7 to develop a vaccine and treatment methods that combat COVID-19. Finding a solution through these trials and experiments is raising hopes for normalization around the globe.
Many estimates are being thrown around about the potential impact of COVID-19 on global and national economies. Perhaps the only thing they agree on at this stage is that it will be bad – the main source of disagreement seems to be on exactly how bad it is going to get.
Humans are intrinsically connected to the natural environment. This fundamental truth has been neglected by the way we conceive our development choices and we implement policies.
The COVID-19 pandemic is primarily a health shock. Recognizing the health emergency as the prime objective, countries have been responding to the global health emergency with a range of critical interventions, addressing the vulnerabilities of communities at risk through social protection measures and providing fiscal support for emergency public interventions.
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