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

The document argues that COVID-19 recovery offers a political opportunity to implement greener, more livable cities by prioritizing 'shovel-ready' decarbonization projects and non-motorized transport. It emphasizes that urban recovery must address social vulnerabilities, specifically by integrating informal settlements and workers into planning to ensure equity. The text highlights the critical role of public transport as the 'backbone of mobility' and calls for improved direct access to international finance for cities to bridge the gap between national recovery packages and local needs.

• Cities are central to COVID-19 recovery and provide immediate opportunities for decarbonization through 'shovel-ready projects' such as public transport upgrades, building efficiency retrofits, and nature-based water supply solutions, which offer simultaneous benefits for the economy, public health, and climate.
• Urban recovery must prioritize social inclusion and the integration of informal workers and settlements, as public health measures like social distancing are 'essentially impossible' for the urban poor without adequate space and services.
• Public transport is identified as the essential foundation for urban equity and economic access, yet it faces revenue collapses due to reduced services; strengthening transport budgets is presented as a low-carbon economic stimulus opportunity.
• The pandemic provides a window to shift urban planning away from personal vehicles toward non-motorized transport, such as biking and walking, as seen in Bogotá's conversion of car lanes into biking lanes.
• There is a significant gap between national-level recovery plans and local urban initiatives, necessitating better direct access for cities to international funding from sources like MDBs, the EBRD Green Cities Program, and the Cities Climate Finance Gap Fund.

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-5.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-5.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 June 2020 |url=https://files.wri.org/s3fs-public/uploads/bmu-wri-dialogue-5.pdf |access-date=23 October 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 = jun, url = {https://files.wri.org/s3fs-public/uploads/bmu-wri-dialogue-5.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }