It’s time to fight for a green new world after coronavirus – here’s how

Optimists say this crisis will green our economy; pessimists that we'll soon return to old habits. What future lies in store for us depends on what action we take today

Will our recovery from coronavirus be green or a brown?

“We’ll emerge from this crisis greener than ever before,” say the optimists. While we’re cooped up at home, we can hear the birds singing and breathe cleaner air. We’re Zooming into meetings online, not rushing around by car and public transport or jumping onto planes. So carbon emissions are falling.

We’re reflecting on what’s important in life, and realising that it’s mainly love and friendship, not owning stuff. Of course, we want to get out of our homes, see each other and enjoy natural beauty. But, apart from that, why would we want to go back to our bad old materialistic, carbon-spewing ways?

What’s more, the pandemic has taught us the importance of planning for the worst. We failed to protect ourselves, and are now paying the price. Why wouldn’t we invest in preventing a climate crisis, which could cause damage on a scale that could put coronavirus in the shade?

When the current emergency is over, we will have battle-hardened governments which know how to fight crises – and which realise that the state has the responsibility to protect its people. They will also understand that global problems require global solutions.

The virus has taught us another lesson, too. Human beings encroached on natural habitats – and the Chinese sold wild animals in their markets. Not surprisingly, pathogens have jumped from their original species into humans. Coronavirus will make us wake up: if we mess with the planet, it will mess with us.

“Not so fast,” the pessimists reply. Nothing will change; people will rush back to their old habits as soon as they can. Governments will also have spent so much money fighting the virus that they won’t have any left to stop climate change.

Politicians’ priority will be to get people back to work, so they’ll cut corners. Donald Trump has already used the pandemic to relax some environmental protections.

Reconstruction programmes will consist of “shovel-ready” projects like roads and bridges. Remember how global carbon emissions fell in 2009 in the wake of the financial crisis, only to rebound the following year when China and other countries rolled out massive construction projects? Meanwhile, the plummeting oil price will encourage countries to slow down their conversion to renewable energy.

The global economy will get thwacked this year. Those suggesting we should pile further costs on business to save the planet will be dismissed as green nutters. Some will say the virus was a real emergency, while we have plenty of time to deal with global warming. Others will say we overreacted by locking down economies during the pandemic. Why would we want to shoot ourselves in the foot a second time?

And as for those politicians, they can’t walk and chew gum. Once they have dealt with the current crisis, they will be so exhausted they will have no energy to tackle the next one.

And the idea that they will cooperate to fight the climate crisis? Forget it. The world hasn’t come together to stop us dying of coronavirus. Look at Trump’s decision to suspend payment to the World Health Organisation. We’ll see the same dog-eat-dog nationalism over climate change.

It’s impossible to say whether the optimists or pessimists are right – or whether there will be some middle way – because the future isn’t written. There will be a massive struggle over the type of world we create after the virus. Here are five things we should do now to enhance the chance that the environmental optimists prevail.

1. Set out an attractive vision for a carbon-free life

Few voters will sign up to hair-shirt misery when danger seems decades away. We need to win the argument that we can have a life which is meaningful, healthy, joyful and in-tune with nature.

2. Fight for a fair society as well as a green one

We won’t get consensus to tackle climate change unless those individuals and nations with the broadest shoulders carry the biggest burdens. That means taxing wealth more highly, for example, to ensure everybody has a chance to enjoy a good carbon-free life.

3. Push for green taxes

Governments will have to raise cash to pay for their corona debts. Why not make a virtue of necessity? We know that we should really be taxing carbon emissions steeply to encourage businesses and people to switch to carbon-free activities. So why not make all industries pay when they emit carbon? Why not use the low oil price to jack up taxes on petrol – and charge people more to fly, with frequent flyers and business travellers facing much higher taxes? And to ensure that industry doesn’t just move offshore, why not introduce a “carbon border tax”, which would put a levy on imports from countries that don’t introduce similar carbon taxes?

4. Argue for green bailouts

Governments are rightly bailing out huge swathes of the economy. Airlines, car companies and perhaps even banks will all need cash injections. In returns, states can insist that they come up with timetabled plans to cut their carbon emissions and, in the case of banks, to curb their funding of carbon-intensive industries.

5. Set out green recovery plans

After the pandemic, we’ll need to rebuild. Let’s rebuild better. Invest in fast broadband rather than more roads, so we can work well from home. Create more parks, pedestrianised streets and cycle lanes, so people can enjoy their neighbourhoods. Build carbon-free energy infrastructure and retrofit homes so they are carbon-free. And train people up so they have the skills to flourish in a greener economy.

The big global climate conference, COP26, was scheduled to be held in Glasgow in November. It has now been postponed. This could be a blessing in disguise. It gives leaders time to come up with better plans to rebuild the world. And who knows – next year, Trump may no longer be president. That really would improve the odds of a green recovery