The Post COVID World

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected both our societies and economies around the world. The world itself has been permanently reshaped while the pandemic still unfolds. The fallout from the crisis is both amplifying familiar risks and creating new ones, change at this scale also creates new openings for managing systemic challenges, and ways to build back better.

“You may live in the world as it is, but you can still work to create the world as it should be …” Michelle Obama

For the economic recovery from the pandemic to be durable and resilient, a return to ‘business as usual’ can lead to catastrophic effects on the environment. The global emergencies have been ignored for too long, including climate change and biodiversity loss, which could eventually lead to social and economic damages far worse than those caused by COVID-19. To avoid this, economic recovery plans should be designed to build back better. This means doing more than getting economies and livelihoods quickly back on their feet. Risk-informed development cooperation and global cooperation will be vital in efforts. Recovery policies also need to trigger investment and behavioural changes that will reduce the likelihood of future global shocks and simultaneously increase society’s resilience to them if they do occur. More importantly, every approach should focus on mental and physical well-being and inclusiveness.