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Published 5 June 2020Commonwealth academies call for environmentally sustainable recovery from COVID-19
For World Environment Day, science academies from the Commonwealth, including Royal Society Te Apārangi, are calling for governments to ensure the global economic recovery from COVID-19 will address the joint challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.
The statement has been signed by 18 academies representing the research community in a number of nations. It acknowledges the profound impact that COVID-19 has had across the globe, and the importance of global cooperation and effective policy in addressing not only the pandemic, but also climate change and biodiversity.
It states: "The global pandemic does not change the fact that the world also continues to face an ever-growing environmental emergency... Delivering action on the urgent and interlinked challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable energy provision presents economic, social and environmental opportunities."
The statement calls for the Commonwealth Heads of Government to use the opportunities of COP26 and COP15 to coordinate discussions on these challenges, while working towards a greener economy and its benefits for people and life on Earth.
View statement: Commonwealth academies statement on climate change, biodiversity and sustainable energy