Globally, the health, social and economic crisis generated by COVID-19 has installed the urgent need for a profound transformation of the economy, which sees sustainability and equity as pillars for solid and resilient development to future crises.
The process of revival or economic recovery that many countries are initiating is an opportunity to move forward on this approach, an option that Chile cannot miss either.
In this vein, WWF Chile generated a series of recommendations for a “Post-Pandemic Green and Blue Revival. Bases for a solidarity and sustainable future in Chile”, which is available on the organization’s website.
“We believe that it is time to lay the foundations for sustainable and supportive development, which allows us to reduce the risk of future crises or to face them better. We know that as a country we have a high vulnerability to
effects of climate change, too, many communities rely heavily on biodiversity and natural resources for their livelihood, so not considering environmental variables in economic revival can be a strategic mistake the higher cost of which poorer sectors and future generations will pay,” said Ricardo Bosshard, director of WWF Chile.
Sustainable infrastructure, science-based and permanently monitored decisions, green finance, the establishment of a multi-feature table, effective protection of marine spaces and the underwriting of a New Agreement by Nature and Persons are part of the recommendations.
“The climate commitments established in Chile’s NDC can serve as a minimum for the roadmap in this reactivation process, where we hope, for example, that the streamlining of productive and investment initiatives does not mean a relaxation of environmental requirements. International experience and also in Chile shows us that when this happens, the costs end up being much higher for the country and its communities,” Bosshard said.
