2030 agenda five key investment foci of the Green recovery
The 2030 agenda provides a global roadmap, projection and an overview for investment aligned to the green recovery and a sustainable post COVID World. With the Decade dedicated as the UN Decade on Ecosystems restoration, a series of on the ground action will take rapid and momentous steer-ups in various parts of the World on restoration work on various landscapes and ecosystems. The green recovery takes a focus into five major areas so as to attain the targets of the recovery agenda. These include; energy, natural capital, green buildings, transportation, research and development.
Energy. The increased use of fossil fuels over the recent centuries and decades following the industrial revolution has significantly had an adverse impact on the quality of ecosystem services and air quality; highly contributing to the load of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Each year, approximately over 10 trillion metric tons of greenhouse gases are emitted from burning of fossils fuels. The green recovery draws attention to equitable access to clean and renewable energy whereas minimizing impacts as may arise on the environment.
Natural capital is defined by natural heritage, natural resources thriving on the various landscapes and ecosystems across the globe to which they are best suited and adapted. Investments in natural capital should foresee and take into account the socio-economic benefits that arise from the use of these natural resources while not compromising their natural potential to replicate and regenerate.
Green buildings. The carbon footprint draws attention to the fact that people spend more time in buildings than their outside environments. This is inclusive of homes and workplaces. Consequently, this has a contribution to the carbon footprint resultant from such areas as compared to the less frequently accessed and occupied. Green buildings are designed to contribute to minimizing the carbon footprint, enhancing cooling efficiency, minimizing energy use and consumption among others.
Transportation and global travel contributes to over 35% of the greenhouse gas emissions annually, and often resultant from burning of gas and petroleum. These are inclusive of water, land and air transport means. Sustainable transportation refers to any means of transportation that is ‘green’ and has low environmental impact. Adoption of sustainable transportation will aid reduce the carbon footprint.
Research is crucial and highly relevant for development. Research drives innovation in a rapidly changing World. The green recovery is slated to foster research opportunities so as to foster feasible and much more informed policy decision making processes.
