COVID-19 crisis is a wake up call for system change

Friends of the Earth International issued a statement arguing that the COVID-19 pandemic is a consequence of and a catalyst for systemic change, highlighting how neoliberalism and capitalism have weakened public health and exacerbated social, gender, and environmental injustices.

• The COVID-19 crisis is driven by a political-economic system based on neoliberalism and the free market, which has led to the privatization and weakening of public services, social security, and public health systems.
• The pandemic has exposed a systemic 'care crisis' rooted in patriarchal and capitalist structures, placing a disproportionate burden of care work on women, particularly working-class women and those facing racism.
• Corporate control of biodiversity, energy, and food systems is identified as a primary cause of ecosystem destruction, which contributes to the spread of pathogens and increases health risks for those affected by polluting industries.
• The pandemic compounds existing climate injustices, particularly in the global South, where populations face a lack of robust health systems while simultaneously dealing with climate-related disasters.
• Friends of the Earth International demands a systemic transition away from capitalism and fossil fuels, calling for the cancellation of foreign debt, the abolition of Investor-State Dispute Settlement mechanisms, and a global waiver of Intellectual Property Rights for COVID-19 medical supplies and vaccines.

APA

admin (2020). COVID-19 crisis is a wake up call for system change. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/covid-19-crisis-is-a-wake-up-call-for-system-change/

Chicago

admin. COVID-19 crisis is a wake up call for system change. Friends of the Earth International, 2020. https://www.foei.org/covid-19-crisis-is-a-wake-up-call-for-system-change/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=admin |title=COVID-19 crisis is a wake up call for system change |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=15 April 2020 |url=https://www.foei.org/covid-19-crisis-is-a-wake-up-call-for-system-change/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{admin2020covid19, author = {admin}, title = {{COVID-19 crisis is a wake up call for system change}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2020}, month = apr, url = {https://www.foei.org/covid-19-crisis-is-a-wake-up-call-for-system-change/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }