How to build back better after COVID-19

The We Mean Business coalition calls for governments to integrate a climate and resilience lens into economic stimulus packages and public financial support for companies. The author argues that recovery efforts must avoid 'business-as-usual' and instead incentivize zero-carbon technologies to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Specifically, businesses receiving public assistance should be required to adopt TCFD-aligned risk disclosures, set science-based targets consistent with a 1.5°C temperature limit, and prioritize investments in low-carbon solutions such as building retrofits and renewable energy.

• Economic stimulus packages intended to combat the COVID-19 crisis must be designed to tackle climate change and build a resilient, inclusive society, rather than returning to previous habits of pollution and infrastructure that cause harm.
• Governments should screen long-term economic stimulus through a climate and resilience lens to accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon economy, focusing on emissions reduction, clean air, and job creation.
• Stimulus measures should encourage the deployment of current climate solutions and the development of zero-carbon technologies to achieve a net-zero carbon economy by 2050 at the latest.
• Companies receiving long-term public financial assistance should be mandated to perform three specific actions: integrate risk disclosures aligned with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), establish science-based targets to limit global temperature increase to 1.5°C and reach net-zero by 2050, and invest in low-carbon solutions that create jobs.
• Priority investments for low-carbon job creation include building retrofitting, renewable energies, and the mass production of technologies capable of decarbonizing heavy industries.

APA

Mendiluce, M. (2020). How to build back better after COVID-19. We Mean Business Coalition. https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/blog/how-to-build-back-better-after-covid-19/

Chicago

Mendiluce, María. How to build back better after COVID-19. We Mean Business Coalition, 2020. https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/blog/how-to-build-back-better-after-covid-19/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Mendiluce |first1=María |title=How to build back better after COVID-19 |publisher=We Mean Business Coalition |date=6 April 2020 |url=https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/blog/how-to-build-back-better-after-covid-19/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{mendiluce2020how, author = {Mendiluce, María}, title = {{How to build back better after COVID-19}}, publisher = {We Mean Business Coalition}, year = {2020}, month = apr, url = {https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/blog/how-to-build-back-better-after-covid-19/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }