Is it time to rethink our relationship with the planet?
As of today, more than 260,000 people have sadly lost their lives due to COVID-19. The civil liberties of billions of people have been put on hold, and economies across the world are struggling to conceptualise life after lockdown.
No global government or society was prepared for the onslaught of this pandemic. This highlights that no one was prepared for a global health crisis. Perhaps this is the wakeup call we all needed to rethink our relationship with the planet.
In year of important global gatherings, environmental and climate diplomacy seems to be put on hold. The coronavirus has postponed two of the most important meetings: Biodiversity COP, and the UNFCCC's 26th COP. Even though the pandemic has forced the postponement of key global events, climate change cannot be put on furlough.
COVID-19 should not derail climate change or dismantle the Paris Agreement. Now is the time to invest in more resilient systems, enhance environmental and social protections and rebuild a more equitable world for both people and the planet. This could be a once in a generation chance to press the reset button and sew sustainability into the DNA of our existence.
To maintain momentum, each month Climate Action is calling on all organization types of any scale to submit "build back better" pledges, plans and strategies on how they will contribute to a more sustainable world.
We will be publishing the submitted pledges each month to showcase an inspiring collection of positive climate actions that demonstrate true commitments to how we can "build back better".