This position paper is the result of the work of the EPA Network’s group on Green Stimulus and reflects the inputs of all participants of the group. It emphasizes the urgent need to use the EU’s Covid-19 recovery efforts to also address the climate and biodiversity crises. Applying ambitious sustainability criteria to the economic recovery programmes of the EU will not only contribute to meeting the EU`s climate and biodiversity targets, but also deliver broad social and economic benefits, e.g., sustainable jobs and long-term competitive advantages. To achieve those goals, however, the recovery programmes need to go beyond sectoral support measures to include structural reforms like an ambitious carbon pricing, the reduction of environmentally harmful subsidies, and the establishment of sustainable financial markets. Moreover, all recovery measures should undergo a sustainability check and be monitored for their impacts, and adjusted where necessary.
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