thinkstep-anz together with 155 leading companies worldwide advocate for governments to prioritise climate action aligned with the Paris Agreement in their economic recovery plans. Released earlier today, the aptly named ‘Recover Better’ statement is organised by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), the UN Global Compact and the We Mean Business coalition. It asks businesses and governments to pair their economic response to Covid-19 with ambitious climate action to recover better together.

The message and the science behind it are clear: we can no longer afford to choose between human health or planetary health. The two are inextricably linked. Covid-19 is socially devastating, disrupts supply chains and profoundly deepens inequalities.

“We can’t afford trade-offs between economic recovery, social well-being and environmental protection based on the latest climate science. We must tackle all three.” says Barbara Nebel, CEO thinkstep-anz. “Economic support packages must be used to support net-zero carbon and regenerative developments.”

The path outlined by the largest ever UN-backed, CEO-led climate advocacy effort not only gives hope for recovering the planet’s health, but also provides an opportunity to refresh the economy. Suggested policies and spending measures include the delivery of net-zero-carbon infrastructure and buildings, investing in nature-based climate solutions, advancing the delivery of 100% clean power, and enabling clean mobility for all. Together these can accelerate a just transition to an inclusive, resilient, and net-zero-carbon economy.

A report from the New Climate Economy shows that shifting to a low-carbon economy could create 65 million new jobs by 2030, and a growth opportunity of US$26 trillion.

The great news is that many of the solutions to bring forth a zero-carbon future already exist; for New Zealand, this includes recommendations on decarbonising the transport sector by 90% and embodied carbon in buildings over 40%, as outlined in thinkstep-anz’s transport and built environment reports.

thinkstep-anz is already on a 1.5°C trajectory with an approved science-based target and now calls on others to join the efforts for a systemic shift to a net-zero-carbon and resilient economy.

Read the full “Recover Better” statement signed by 155 leading companies including Unilever, HP, Nestle, Salesforce, Vestas in the Science Based Targets initiative and its business ambition for 1.5°C campaign.

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