Thinking ahead for a sustainable, just and resilient recovery

This webinar launched “Global Consultations on Synergies for a Better and Stronger Recovery to COVID-19“, undertaken by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The first webinar, “Thinking ahead for a Sustainable, Just & Resilient Recovery“, was held 28 May 2020. UN Under-Secretary-General Liu Zhenmin and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa opened the webinar by calling on stakeholders to integrate climate and SDG action. They noted the heightened importance of harnessing synergies for pandemic recovery. Without stronger action, climate change could worsen COVID-19 and all challenges, they said.

SEI, other thought leaders and practitioners were among the webinar’s seven panelists who focused on planning for synergies in a time of intersecting crises. Sharing examples and methodologies, they explained how stakeholders account for trade-offs and seek to maximize synergies in recovery planning. They stressed the need to align short-term responses with longer-term objectives and shared examples of recovery measures that “front load” impacts for people and the economy.

Senior Scientist Jason Veysey and Energy Modeling Program Director Charlie Heaps presented insights into the importance of integrated planning to move ahead. A perspective piece,”COVID-19 recovery: a last chance for climate action?“, summarises their presentation.