COVID-19 is the greatest global shock in decades. Hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost, and the world’s economy likely faces the worst recession since the 1930s. This pandemic is also a reminder of the intimate and delicate relationship between people and planet. Societies need to protect themselves, and to recover, as quickly as possible. But we cannot go back to the way we did things before.
Therefore everyone should watch this the following WHO prescriptions for a healthy and green recovery from COVID-19.
WHO prescriptions for a healthy and green recovery from COVID-19 in a nutshell:
- Protect and preserve the source of human health: Nature.
- Invest in essential services, from water and sanitation to clean energy in healthcare facilities.
- Ensure a quick healthy energy transition.
- Promote healthy, sustainable food systems.
- Build healthy, liveable cities.
- Stop using taxpayers money to fund pollution.
The COVID-19 crisis has shown that people will support even difficult policies if decision-making is transparent, evidence-based, and inclusive, and has the clear aim of protecting their health, their families and their livelihoods – rather than serving special interests.
“The pandemic is a reminder of the intimate and delicate relationship between people and planet. Any efforts to make our world safer are doomed to fail unless they address the critical interface between people and pathogens, and the existential threat of climate change, that is making our Earth less habitable.”
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Address to the 73rd World Health Assembly. May 18th 2020.
