What happens in our natural environment matters for our health, society and the economy. The coronavirus crisis has provided a dramatic reminder about these interlinkages, and the contribution of environmental factors to pandemics such as COVID-19 is a growing concern.
This Policy Dialogue discussed the importance of healthy ecosystems, smarter use of resources and nature-inspired solutions as we move forward and seek to recover from the ongoing economic and health crisis. The European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginius Sinkevičius and the former European Commissioner for Environment, Jane Potočnik, discussed the role of the European Green Deal and other EU tools in recovering from the crisis. The panellists also explored how greater sustainability and nature-based solutions can provide valuable tools for exiting the crisis and move towards a more resilient and sustainable economy and society.