COVID-19 recovery spending could catalyze transformative change, but time is running out Nations must plan now to make sure their stimulus efforts support a green, and more equitable, future. By Istock Imagine it's 2050 and the world is well on its way to meeting the goals set out in the Paris Climate Agreement. Use of coal, oil, and gas has fallen drastically. Energy and materials are used efficiently. Public transportation thrives; the world’s cities are green, dense, and walkable. Because this green boom was designed by diverse stakeholders with environmental justice in mind, it has created more equitable societies around the world. Everyone agrees, these huge shifts began in the early 2020s with the economic recovery from COVID-19.