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Greenpeace: Japanese virus countermeasures should move toward sustainability

“While the COVID-19 crisis is an immediate emergency that needs to be solved, the climate crisis continues to pose an existential threat to all life on earth,” says Samuel Annesley, Executive Director, Greenpeace Japan. (Shutterstock)
“While the COVID-19 crisis is an immediate emergency that needs to be solved, the climate crisis continues to pose an existential threat to all life on earth,” says Samuel Annesley, Executive Director, Greenpeace Japan. (Shutterstock)
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09 Apr 2020 03:04:40 GMT9
09 Apr 2020 03:04:40 GMT9

Arab News

TOKYO: After Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced a state of emergency and large-scale economic stimulus package on Tuesday night, environmental group Greenpeace Japan released a statement calling for a green restructuring of the economy.

“The world is at an important crossroads, where we must reconsider the relationship between our economies, people, and nature,” said the statement by Executive Director Sam Annesley.

“While the COVID-19 crisis is an immediate emergency that needs to be solved, the climate crisis continues to pose an existential threat to all life on earth.”

While acknowledging the immediate need to attend to people’s health, the statement calls on the government to use economic countermeasures to transition toward a sustainable economy.

“A green restructuring of the economy would create jobs, stabilise the economy, and improve lives for generations to come,” wrote Annesley, also pointing out that the climate crisis increases the risk of unknown viruses.

He also asserted that fiscal policies should stop supporting the fossil fuel industries that advance the climate crisis, natural disasters and climate-related diseases.

He called on the government to prepare an economic stimulus package, address environmental destruction and the climate crisis.

“The people of Japan are resilient,” he said. “We are accustomed to helping each other overcome natural disasters. I am confident that we can tackle this COVID crisis while transforming Japan into a more sustainable economy and society.”

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