Thumbnail Image

COVID-19: Investing in sustainable natural resource management for green and inclusive recovery in Asia and the Pacific

Year of publication 2020

Place of publication Bangkok, Thailand ;

Pages 5p.

Author FAO

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet

ISBN 978-92-5-133107-1

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) Multiple studies have shown that rampant deforestation, ecosystem degradation, and uncontrolled exploitation of wildlife can spread certain diseases to humans, which are increasingly turning into pandemics. With millions of unidentified viruses known to infect people existing in the wild, any one of them could be more disruptive and lethal than COVID-19 . Additional multiple stressors such as recurring droughts, floods and other climatic aberrations further accentuate our ability to battling pandemics, particularly threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions of poor and vulnerable communities who depend on natural resources. Sustainable national natural resource management (NRM) underpins the intrinsic connections between human health, resilient landscapes, economic stability and sustainable livelihoods. To emerge from the current crisis stronger and better, investing in measures that protect and restore nature and that promote inclusive, low emission and resilient development is critical. The pandemic recovery provides a window for the adoption of investments in sustainable NRM in the land, water, forests, and fisheries sectors that can help meet short- term economic recovery and employment as well as strengthening long-term wellbeing and resilience. But there is a risk that decision makers will ignore sustainable alternatives or, despite good intentions, design investments that are poorly targeted and create long-term fiscal burdens. This Policy Brief recommends potential avenues for investing in sustainable NRM that address such risks, and that promote self-reliance, green and inclusive recovery.

See the full list of policy briefs related to COVID-19.

Cite this content as:

​FAO. 2020. COVID-19: Investing in sustainable natural resource management for green and inclusive recovery in Asia and the Pacific. Bangkok.

https://doi.org/10.4060/cb0435en

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet
    FAO COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme - Boosting smallholder resilience for recovery
    Protecting the most vulnerable, promoting economic recovery and enhancing risk management capacities
    2020
    Also available in:
    The COVID-19 pandemic is having devastating short- and long-term impacts on the lives and livelihoods of people in rural, peri-urban and urban settings. Apart from the pandemic’s toll on human health and everyday life, containment measures, particulary the restricted movement of people and goods, are resulting in a dramatic increase in poverty, destroying livelihoods and increasing food insecurity. The magnitude of the impact of COVID-19 has reinforced the need for global collaboration in terms of managing risks and crises, anticipating threats, coordinating responses and resilience building ahead of future crises. It has revealed how communities, even in wealthier countries, are extremely vulnerable to such crises and has underlined the need for a recovery e ort that focuses on building back better through a transition to more inclusive, resilient and sustainable economies and societies ahead of future pandemics, climate change and other threats. Advancing integrated, multirisk management measures is essential to boosting resilience across all systems, especially agriculture and food systems, to ensure that there is enough food and to safeguard the well-being of present and future generations. FAO’s response draws on the Organization’s vast technical expertise and experience of implementing resilience programming over the last decade, bringing together the actors of humanitarian development and peace-sustaining partners to support agriculture, food security and nutrition, both in countries and in global policy and normative work. Helping smallholders to recover from COVID-19 and concurrent shocks, and enabling them to build their resilience to future threats requires transformative, need-based and demand-driven solutions.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet
    FAO COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme: Asia and the Pacific
    Economic inclusion and social protection to reduce poverty
    2020
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    The COVID-19 crisis has revealed the precarious nature of pre-pandemic vulnerabilities and inequalities, which must be addressed as part of the strategy to “Build Back Better”. Based on the socio-economic impacts across Asia, the recovery path calls for broadening social safety nets, universal health insurance, affordable access to digital connectivity, income and livelihood diversification and building capacities to manage multiple risks and likely future pandemics. The economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have revealed multiple vulnerabilities within current economic development models, such as high dependence on tourism and service industries as engines for growth and employment. Many countries are re-examining the role of agriculture and integrated rural development as a long-term viable strategy to emerge from the current crisis, create jobs and absorb expanding job creation for more robust and sustainable economic recovery. This action sheet presents FAO's COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme's key priority area of "Economic inclusion and social protection to reduce poverty" for Asia and the Pacific.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Policy brief
    Policy Brief: Developing shock responsive social protection systems to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, facilitate speedy recovery and strengthen the resilience of vulnerable people in ASEAN 2021
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    In 2020, the corona virus spread around the globe, and its containment measures resulted in unprecedented socio-economic impacts. ASEAN region’s economy is estimated to experience a decline between 3.5 and 4.7 per cent for 2020. The restrictions to contain the virus spread, although necessary, hit many households income, particularly of the most vulnerable. Yet other disasters have continued to hit the region. Convergence of the impacts of compounded shocks from multiple hazards, can push vulnerable households into deeper or prolonged deprivation and poverty. Social protection is a core part of the efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, facilitate speedy recovery and strengthen the resilience of poor and vulnerable people. Governments have been rolling out social protection at an unprecedented scale in response to COVID-19. Well established social protection systems are an important part of any adequate crisis response. The COVID-19 pandemic is changing rapidly, while having immediate as well as medium- and long-term cumulative impacts on economies. Social protection has shown its relevance and positive impact in the initial phases of the crisis. The next phases, particularly during recovery to build back better, provide an opportunity to expand the role of social protection in a transition toward equitable, green and sustainable economies, while building more risk-informed, shock responsive and resilient social protection systems in ASEAN.
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.