Ballooning debt cripples poor countries’ hopes of green recovery from Covid

(Climate Change News, 15 Oct 2020) Vulnerable nations are being squeezed between mounting debt to respond to the economic and health impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and the need for longer-term investments to address the climate crisis.

Financial support for cash-strapped countries and short-term debt relief has given some breathing space for governments to address the immediate budget crunch caused by the health crisis. But it is not enough for vulnerable countries to tackle Covid-19 and build back better.

While the world’s advanced economies have spent an estimated $12 trillion on stimulus packages, fragile and indebted economies in Africa and Latin America are struggling to meet basic needs.

Most developing countries are now facing a depression which could push an additional 150 million people into extreme poverty by 2021, according to the World Bank.

In Angola and Belize, senior government officials told Climate Home News they were facing tough choices on how to spend their budget. Climate action was at risk of cuts to protect spending on access to food and water, health and education.

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Climate Change News, 15 Oct 2020: Ballooning debt cripples poor countries’ hopes of green recovery from Covid