The spread of COVID-19 has demonstrated the consequences of a lack of resilience and preparedness to deal with such a pandemic. Climate change, water pollution and the drivers of biodiversity loss, such as deforestation, habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade, may increase the risk of further pandemics, or outbreaks of vector-borne or water-borne infections, while adding to a complex risk environment through potential cascading impacts to the systemic consequences of a pandemic crisis.
United Nations Resident Coordinators based in Europe and Central Asia have noted that most countries are prioritizing economic recovery during the post COVID-19 period and that environmental perspectives are often ignored. They have requested the Issue-based Coalition on Environment and Climate Change (IBC) to provide guidance and tools for assisting countries in integrating environmental and climate change issues into their recovery strategies and supporting a “building back better” approach.
As a follow up to this request, the IBC identified a set of recommendations for pathways for a more inclusive, environmentally sustainable and resilient COVID-19 recovery. Making use of the diverse expertise of the 18 IBC member organizations, the recommendations – issued in August 2020 – provided basic guidance to Resident Coordinators, Country Teams and other partners working on recovery plans and assessments of the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic.