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UN Chief Calls for Coronavirus Aid to be Diverted from Polluting Industries

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The UN secretary general has urged governments not to use taxpayer funds to bail out carbon-intensive industries and fossil fuel companies.

Instead, António Guterres wants companies that create green jobs and cut greenhouse gas emissions to be on the receiving end of economic rescue packages.

Speaking at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, Guterres said: “Where taxpayers’ money is used to rescue businesses, it must be creating green jobs and sustainable and inclusive growth”, adding: “It must not be bailing out outdated, polluting, carbon-intensive industries.”

The Petersberg Climate Dialogue included 30 governments who met virtually to discuss the climate crisis and concluded on Tuesday.

The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, led the meeting and echoed the same call as Guterresl: “The coronavirus shows us that international cooperation is crucial and that the wellbeing of one nation always depends on the wellbeing of others.

“There will be a difficult debate about the allocation of funds. But it is important that recovery programmes always keep an eye on the climate. We must not sideline climate, but invest in climate technologies”.

Merkel also announced that Germany supported the cutting of emissions by 50%-55% by 2030 in comparison with levels recorded in 1990.

UK foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, said: “It will be the duty of every responsible government to see that our economies are revived and rebuilt in a way that will stand the test of time. That means investing in industries and infrastructure that can turn the tide on climate change and doing all we can to boost resilience by shaping economies that can withstand everything nature throws at us”.

However, Raab did not set out which measures the government would take to ensure that benefiting companies would reduce their carbon use in return for rescue packages.

The director of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, Richard Black, said: “Backing for a clean recovery is now widespread, led by governments and major businesses.

“For actions to match rhetoric, concrete policies are going to be needed very soon – for example, the UK government delivering new policies that get the nation on track to its legally binding net-zero target, and making sure the world doesn’t bounce back into high-polluting ways as soon as the lockdown eases”.

Guterres additionally called for more investment into cutting emissions, as well as tougher action: “Public funds should invest in the future by flowing to sustainable sectors and projects that help the environment and climate. Fossil fuel subsidies must end, and carbon must have a price so polluters will pay for their pollution”.

Harry Pererra
Harry Pererra

Harry turns on his experience in journalism and programming to write about the latest news in the world of tech and the environemtn. When he isn’t writing for usave he is working towards his Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and prefers dogs to cats.

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