Recession and Climate Change

It is well known that recessions have economic and social impacts, while little attention is paid to their impact on the environment and ongoing climate action.  Past recessions have shown that a slowdown in economic activity and a shift in government priorities can have both positive and negative impacts on climate change and climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts and the transition towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  When recessions occur, governments can either build a greener economy or revert to unsustainable business-as-usual practices.  Experience also shows that the reduced use of fossil fuels in a slowdown in capital-intensive industrial activities leads to such short-term benefits as reduced air and water pollution due to decreased energy consumption.