On Earth Day, leaders from around the world came together virtually at the White House to reaffirm the urgency of ramping up ambition on climate action. President Joe Biden, who unveiled new U.S. commitments under the Paris Agreement, urged his counterparts to see the climate crisis as not just an existential threat but also an unparalleled opportunity. “When people talk about climate,” he said, “I think jobs. Within our climate response lies an extraordinary engine of job creation and economic opportunity ready to be fired up.”
One thing that is crystal clear about global action on climate change is that it will require a staggering amount of money. Where is that going to come from—especially now, when economies around the world are struggling to recover from the pandemic? United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres believes economic recovery and climate action must go hand in hand.