G20 Recovery Packages Benefit Fossil Fuels More Than Clean Energy
Decisions taken in response to the COVID-19 crisis today will lock in the world’s development patterns for decades. With policy decisions made on a daily basis, information about how public money is being spent can be hard to follow. That
The Environmental Consequences of COVID-19 in Fragile States
The COVID-19 pandemic could have severe impacts on the environment in fragile states, compounding the challenges faced by their governments and their populations. But it doesn’t have to be that way. For fragile states, the social and economic impacts of the
Environmentalists Should Pay Close Attention to the Racial Justice Movement
It might appear opportunistic to link the climate and racial justice movements at a time when race is shaping the conversation in the media, in our workplaces, and in our homes. But as Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson has recently explained, on
How Can a Six-Digit Trade Code Help the Environment?
Both the tariffs that countries impose on imports of physical things—from live horses to antique statues of horses—and the statistics on such trade are based on a set of around 5,400 six-digit numerical codes generated by the World Customs Organization (WCO) that
Financing COVID-19 Stimulus: Will high levels of public debt come back to haunt us?
As the Task Force for a Resilient Recovery begins work on low-carbon, resilient pathways for post-COVID-19 recovery, it’s worth taking a step back to examine how stimulus spending is actually financed and what patterns are emerging from the design and implementation of
We Need a Global Stimulus Package to Avoid a COVID-19 Hunger Crisis
COVID-19 has hit hard, fast, and everywhere. It is, above all, a public health crisis, but other linked crises are emerging, and none is more urgent than the pending hunger crisis. A global stimulus package is needed to protect the
Could the COVID-19 Pandemic Give the 2020 Environmental Agenda a Much-Needed Boost?
COVID-19 has changed everything. But if we take the right steps and trust science, a lot of good can happen. This year was supposed to be a turning point. The window to ramp up climate ambition, protect nature, and drive down
The Climate-Conflict Connection: Why aren’t we acting on it?
The two agendas of climate change adaptation and peacebuilding are rarely coordinated—it's time for this to change. For Somalia, last year’s drought was its worst in nearly a decade. Wells dried up, crops failed, and thousands were displaced from their land. For nomadic herders,
Can climate talks regain momentum in 2020?
2020 has a ring to it, holding the promise of a new decade after leaving the old one behind. Each year starts with the possibility of a new beginning, but often still carries the baggage of the previous year. As
COVID-19: How to fight disease outbreaks with data
In today’s age of information, big data allows us to fight an infectious disease like COVID-19 more effectively. This article explores the challenges, especially in the area of collating and analyzing global data and collaboration between experts. Throughout history, the movement
Should We Have Impact Assessments for Disruptive Technologies?
Disruptive technologies, such as artificial intelligence or ride-sharing apps, are already affecting people in significant ways. There are increasing concerns about data collection, surveillance, behavior management and the shake-up of local economies as automation takes over. The question arises of
What the mighty mangrove tells us about our broken relationship with nature
Mangrove trees lining tropical coasts are undervalued yet mangrove protection should be part of the plan to save the planet and protect biodiversity. Mangroves are trees that grow miraculously on seawater, fringing some of the tropical shores of our planet. They shelter