from brookings global connections -power of bold climate action

 

April 26, 2021

Climate change poses one of the greatest risks to sustainable development, but bold climate action can both save lives and deliver substantial economic benefits. This week, our experts weigh in on climate resilience strategies, the importance of climate change education, President Biden's climate summit, and more.

Climate adaptation and the great reset for Africa   Africa could see its GDP decrease by up to 30% by 2050 due to climate change. Ede Ijjasz and Aloysius Uche Ordu identify practical policy actions African leaders can take to strengthen climate resilience on the road to economic recovery from COVID-19.   Read more

Unleashing the creativity of teachers and students to combat climate change   What if, with a little leadership from global heads of state, there was an opportunity to simultaneously combat climate change, strengthen the civic health of communities, and close the learning gap in 21st century skills? Christina Kwauk and Rebecca Winthrop provide a roadmap to do just that.   Read the report | Watch the event video (59 min)

How China's savings could help save the planet   At about 45% of GDP, China's savings rate is among the highest in the world—its banking system alone has accumulated assets worth almost $50 trillion. Increasing the share of financing to green investment even by a fraction of these vast financial resources could go a long way in the transition to greener growth—both within China and abroad, argue Martin Raiser and Sebastian Eckardt.    Read more

Listen–COVID and climate: A decisive decade for the planet   This is a decisive decade for the planet as we face the dual crises of COVID-19 and climate change. In this Sustainable Development Spotlight, Amar Bhattacharya calls for strong and coordinated action across the world on four interrelated priorities.   Listen to the podcast (5 min)

What will come out of President Biden's climate conference?

Last week, President Biden convened 40 world leaders for a major climate conference, marking America's return to the world stage on climate action. In a series of videos, Global Vice President and Director Brahima S. Coulibaly and other Brookings scholars share their thoughts.   Watch the video (11 min) | Read the transcript   For more on Biden's climate summit, read analysis from Nathan Hultman, Amar Bhattacharya, and additional Brookings experts.

More from Global   For greater vaccine equity, first fix these misconceptions. As we start to see the light at the end of the pandemic's dark tunnel, inequities in the distribution of vaccines across countries are coming under intense scrutiny. Philip Schellekens debunks three myths about COVID-19 vaccine equity.   Making well-being a policy priority. Carol Graham shares three lessons from the 2021 World Happiness Report, which tracks the emotional well-being of societies around the world.   Iran's middle class and the nuclear deal. Djavad Salehi-Isfahani explains how a decade of economic stagnation caused by sanctions and broken international promises has affected Iran's middle class, government, and likely approach to a nuclear deal.   The spectacular surge of the Saudi female labor force. Sofia Gomez Tamayo, Johannes Koettl, and Nayib Rivera examine the factors behind a 64% increase in Saudi women's share in the labor market over the course of just two years.