From COVID-19 Response to Sustainable Redesign: How Decarbonization, Circular Economy, and Decentralization Can Guide the Transition and Strengthen National Climate Objectives

This research paper outlines a framework for a sustainable and resilient recovery from COVID-19, focusing on three mutually reinforcing transitions: decarbonization, circular economy, and decentralization, to drive transformative economic change and strengthen national climate objectives.

• The paper identifies three mutually reinforcing transitions—decarbonization, circular economy, and decentralization—developed as part of an initiative under the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MoEJ) to prioritize policies for sustainable recovery and redesign.
• Regarding decarbonization, the paper notes a surge in net-zero emissions commitments but argues that credibility requires enhancing 2030 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), aligning targets with net-zero goals, avoiding the financing of carbon-intensive industries or fossil fuels during COVID-19 recovery, and leveraging green investment opportunities.
• The transition to a circular economy requires a shift in focus from end-of-life recycling toward upstream activities centered on reducing and reusing materials to address climate change and capture missed economic opportunities.
• Decentralization requires empowering subnational governments and fostering inclusive planning at the local level, supported by coordination, information dissemination, and collaboration between national and subnational actors to enable climate action.
• Across all three transitions, the paper emphasizes that financial investment and adaptation action—which is critical for the resilience of societies and economies—must be prioritized, and implementation must be just and equitable.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). From COVID-19 Response to Sustainable Redesign: How Decarbonization, Circular Economy, and Decentralization Can Guide the Transition and Strengthen National Climate Objectives. https://www.wri.org/research/covid-19-response-sustainable-redesign

Chicago

World Resources Institute. From COVID-19 Response to Sustainable Redesign: How Decarbonization, Circular Economy, and Decentralization Can Guide the Transition and Strengthen National Climate Objectives. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/covid-19-response-sustainable-redesign.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=From COVID-19 Response to Sustainable Redesign: How Decarbonization, Circular Economy, and Decentralization Can Guide the Transition and Strengthen National Climate Objectives |url=https://www.wri.org/research/covid-19-response-sustainable-redesign |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendfrom, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{From COVID-19 Response to Sustainable Redesign: How Decarbonization, Circular Economy, and Decentralization Can Guide the Transition and Strengthen National Climate Objectives}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/covid-19-response-sustainable-redesign}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }