Faced with the emergency of the COVID-19 crisis, there is a great temptation for recovery plans to prop up yesterday’s economy instead of “building back better”. Instead, recovery plans and any economic stimulus must pass five tests, argue European sustainability think tanks.
This commentary is co-signed by members of the Think Sustainable Europe network:
Céline Charveriat, Executive Director, Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP); Camilla Bausch, Scientific & Executive Director, Ecologic Institute; Sébastien Treyer, Executive Director, Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI); Måns Nilsson, Executive Director, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI); Alexander Müller, Managing Director, TMG – Töpfer Müller Gaßner GmbH
The decisions which the European Council will make today regarding Europe’s recovery plans will no doubt have long-lasting political, economic and social consequences. In the context of great political tensions between the member states – but also of great expectations from European citizens – the very fate of the European project could be at stake.
While the real magnitude of the COVID-19 crisis and the effectiveness of responses to date are not yet fully known, European leaders know that they do not have the luxury to wait for certainty. In fact, many member states are already putting in place numerous measures to support the most affected citizens and to relaunch key sectors of the economy. Decisions are being made at breath-taking speed – both, to provide immediate relief during the pandemic and to recover from its impacts in the medium- and long-term.
Faced with this perfect storm, there is a great temptation for recovery plans to prop up yesterday’s economy instead of “building back better”. Carbon intensive sectors like the auto industry and aviation are welcoming the relaxation of EU state aid rules and calling for urgent public support. Others are proposing to postpone the Green Deal reforms or even withdraw existing regulation, such as the ban on single used plastics. Listening to voices that ignore the fundamental environmental challenges would be a mistake.
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