Building Back Better

Ensuring COVID-19 response and recovery builds long-term resilience to climate impacts

A structure demolished by natural disaster. — In January 2020, heavy rain deluged a river in western Java, causing multiple flash floods and slow-onset flooding that swept through nearby communities.

September 29, 2020 • UPDATED May 27, 2022

While the COVID-19 pandemic has massively disrupted lives and livelihoods, it also provides a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a safer, more resilient world able to adapt to the threat of climate change and other perils. Within COVID-19 recovery and economic stimulus packages there will be opportunities to address multiple risks, including climate change impacts.

This policy brief outlines recommendations and questions to consider to help policy makers incorporate resilience and systems thinking into stimulus and recovery packages so communities and governments can be more resilient to the multiple risks the world faces.