Tackling the Global Environmental Problem of Climate Change through COVID-19 Economic Recovery Stimulus Packages: Some Suggested Legal Strategies

Abstract

The effects of the COVID-19 are both immediate and dreadful. But another profound emergency is the planet's unfolding environmental crisis of climate change. Climate change disruption is getting to the point of no return. We must act decisively to protect our planet from both the COVID-19 and the existential problem of climate interruption. We need to turn the COVID-19 economic recovery process into a real opportunity to do things right for the future. The economic and social devastation caused by climate disruption will be many times greater than the current COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 pandemic-which is resulting in significant economic and political shifts worldwide, should be the international community's unique window of opportunity in which recovery plans can be instrumental in creating a more sustainable and resilient future through ambitious climate mitigation, adaptation, and financing aimed at building back better. This article, which adopted the doctrinal research methodology, examines how the global environmental problem of climate change can be tackled through COVID-19 economic recovery stimulus packages. The paper finds that focusing COVID-19 economic recovery stimulus packages on greener economy, renewable energies, circular economy, and reforestation can help tackle the global environmental problem of climate change. Further, the paper finds that there is a need for legal frameworks that guarantee investments in the suggested strategic areas taking insights from the European Commission Green Deal policy framework. This paper recommends that national governments and international financial lending institutions should focus their COVID-19 economic recovery stimulus packages on investments that tackle the global environmental problem of climate change.

Keywords: Global environmental problem, climate change, COVID-19, economic recovery, stimulus packages, legal strategies, European Commission Green Deal

DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/123-06

Publication date:August 31^st 2022