Speaking at an emergency meeting of the Alliance of global investors for the implementation of the sustainable development Goals on economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that new opportunities have opened up for humanity: the economy must be restored taking into account the fight against climate change and a more equitable distribution of funds.
The pandemic has led to an unprecedented economic crisis that has affected millions of people around the world. The UN Secretary-General called for taking advantage of the opportunity to accelerate changes aimed at ensuring that international institutions Finance environmentally friendly economic projects, and private investors invest in enterprises that have committed themselves to zero harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
The crisis is also an opportunity to build a more just world and protect nature at the same time. For example, in the context of the pandemic, energy consumption has decreased and people have become more likely to use technologies that will eventually help reduce the economy's dependence on fossil fuels. "Such changes can be the beginning of a process to improve life on the planet," the Secretary General believes.
However, according to him, the international community should not rely only on positive changes that occur by themselves, it is necessary to take an active position in order to restore the economy in line with the goals set in the 2030 Agenda, the Addis Ababa action agenda (on financing for development) and the Paris climate agreement. This means, the Secretary General stressed, that businesses should act not only in the interests of depositors, shareholders, but also in the interests of consumers and take into account environmental aspects when implementing a project, according to UN news.
