In many ways, the climate change challenge we face in the next 10 years is analogous to the pandemic we’re emerging from. The rapid rollout of vaccines showed us that decision-makers and key stakeholders can collaborate quickly when we face a collective crisis. Governments, multilateral institutions, private firms, and NGOs coordinated resources to develop and distribute vaccines at a record pace. COVID-19 proved the basic tenant of behavioral economics: that immediate consequences drive action. We will need to apply this same sense of urgency to mobilize global efforts to rapidly reduce emissions while helping our communities adapt to the economic realities of climate change if we are to be successful in the short and longer-term.
