Global Dialogue on Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Economic Crisis: Building Back Better Aligned to the SDGs and the Paris Agreement

This briefing summarizes the first Global Dialogue on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis, focusing on aligning economic recovery with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. It outlines the urgency of the next 18 months for investment, the need for a green recovery narrative, and specific interventions to avoid supporting carbon-intensive industries.

• The next 18 months represent a critical window for action as countries are expected to invest $10-20 trillion or more to boost economic growth, which will dictate the future trajectory of sustainable development and climate.
• Economic recovery is expected to be uneven and overlapping across different global regions, likely following a "W-shaped" or multiple "W-shaped" pattern rather than a V-shaped or U-shaped recovery.
• There is a significant risk that recovery plans will include bailouts for carbon-intensive sectors—specifically coal, aviation, automobiles, and the oil & gas sector—which could undermine sustainability and climate goals.
• To ensure a sustainable recovery, participants suggested interventions including low-carbon infrastructure, public procurement of low-carbon goods, preferential interest rates for low-carbon investments, carbon pricing, and fossil fuel subsidy reform.
• Developing countries face a more severe economic crisis due to reduced remittances, impaired supply chains, and capital flight; consequently, many vulnerable developing nations may require full debt cancellation rather than just suspension.

APA

World Resources Institute (2020). Global Dialogue on Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Economic Crisis: Building Back Better Aligned to the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. https://files.wri.org/s3fs-public/uploads/bmu-wri-dialogue-1.pdf

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Global Dialogue on Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Economic Crisis: Building Back Better Aligned to the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. 2020. https://files.wri.org/s3fs-public/uploads/bmu-wri-dialogue-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Global Dialogue on Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Economic Crisis: Building Back Better Aligned to the SDGs and the Paris Agreement |date=17 April 2020 |url=https://files.wri.org/s3fs-public/uploads/bmu-wri-dialogue-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2020global, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Global Dialogue on Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Economic Crisis: Building Back Better Aligned to the SDGs and the Paris Agreement}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2020}, month = apr, url = {https://files.wri.org/s3fs-public/uploads/bmu-wri-dialogue-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }