Economic Stimulus

The document argues that the massive scale of Covid-19 recovery spending will determine whether the global economy locks in fossil fuel infrastructure or transitions to a zero-carbon economy. It encourages reporters to frame 'green stimulus' through the lens of the Green New Deal, climate justice, and historical comparisons to the 2008 financial crisis and the 1930s Great Depression. The guide highlights that green investments in wind, solar, and energy efficiency create more jobs per million dollars spent than conventional oil and gas, and urges local coverage of mass transit, building renovations, and the influence of utilities and regulatory bodies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

• The scale of government and central bank spending for Covid-19 recovery is sufficient to either lock in rising temperatures by supporting fossil fuel industries or facilitate a transition to a zero-carbon economy that reduces poverty and unemployment.
• Green stimulus investments are more effective at job creation than conventional energy; specifically, $1 million in spending on wind, solar, and energy efficiency creates over twelve jobs, compared to approximately five jobs for oil and natural gas.
• Historical analysis suggests that stimulus programs from 2008 and 2009 that provided the best monetary returns were those that also provided climate dividends, and the original New Deal helped the US recover from the Great Depression through 'green spending' via the Civilian Conservation Corps and National Parks Service.

APA

CCNow (2021). Economic Stimulus. Covering Climate Now. https://coveringclimatenow.org/resource/economic-stimulus/

Chicago

CCNow. Economic Stimulus. Covering Climate Now, 2021. https://coveringclimatenow.org/resource/economic-stimulus/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=CCNow |title=Economic Stimulus |publisher=Covering Climate Now |date=29 March 2021 |url=https://coveringclimatenow.org/resource/economic-stimulus/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ccnow2021economic, author = {CCNow}, title = {{Economic Stimulus}}, institution = {Covering Climate Now}, year = {2021}, month = mar, url = {https://coveringclimatenow.org/resource/economic-stimulus/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }