Climate change and COVID-19

Connecting climate change and COVID-19: A reference guide

The Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change is collecting and curating a wide range of expert insights and published resources from our Waterloo colleagues and the broader climate change community. These resources provide the latest on the connections between COVID-19 and climate change.

Climate policy

Andersen, I. (2020). First Person: COVID-19 is not a silver lining for the climate, says UN Environment chief, UN News.
Beuginmike, D., & Moffatt P. (2020). Sometimes two birds require two stones, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
New! Botzen, Wouter, Duijndam, S., & van Beukering, P. (2021). Lessons for climate policy from behavioral biases towards COVID-19 and climate change risks. World Development. Volume 137: 105214.
Brand-Correa, L. (2020). Coronavirus shows why we need an economy designed for wellbeing, Climate Home News.
Cousins, B. (2020). Medical groups urge G20 to focus on climate change with COVID-19 aid packages, CTV News.
Di Leo, E. (2020). The politics of leaving fossil fuels in the ground, Waterloo Stories.
Ecker, U.K.H., Butler, L.H., Cook, J., Hurlstone, M.J., Kurz, T., & Lewandowsky, S. (2020). Using the COVID-19 economic crisis to frame climate change as a secondary issue reduces mitigation support, Journal of Environmental Psychology.
Elgie, S. (2020). What Canada's COVID-19 economic stimulus plan should look like when it comes, Maclean’s.
Farand, C. (2020). Prospect of snap election reanimates Canada’s carbon tax battle, Climate Home News.
Forster, P., et al. (2020). Current and future global climate impacts resulting from COVID-19, Nature Climate Change.
Galbraith, E., & Otto, R., (2020). Coronavirus response proves the world can act on climate change, The Conversation.
Gardiner, B. (2020). Coronavirus holds key lessons on how to fight climate change, Yale Environment 360.
Gewin, V. (2020). Global Deals to Save Oceans Were In Reach. Then Covid-19 Hit, BNN Bloomberg.
Goering, L. (2020). What COVID-19 can teach us about tackling climate change, World Economic Forum.
Hepburn, C., et al. (2020). Will COVID-19 fiscal recovery packages accelerate or retard progress on climate change?, Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment.
Hodgson, G., & Samson, R. (2020). Sustainable finance can position Canada to thrive as global markets shift, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Lipsey, R., & Samson, R. (2020). Climate change vs. economic growth in a time of crisis, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Martinez-Diaz, L., & Sidner, L. (2020). Key investments can build resilience to pandemics and climate change, World Resources Institute.
Pinner, D., Rogers, M., & Samandari, H. (2020). Addressing climate change in a post-pandemic world, McKinsey & Company.
Phillips, C.A., et al. (2020). Compound climate risks in the COVID-19 pandemic, Nature Climate Change.
Quinlan, N. (2020). There is no vaccine for climate change – but there is a treatment, Waterloo Stories.
Roth, A. (2020). Here's what a coronavirus-like response to the climate crisis would looke like, Los Angeles Times.
Samson, R., Felder, M., & Motha-Pollock, A. (2020). Alberta has a chance to kick-start clean growth, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Sawyer, D. (2020). Climate policy in the long shadow of COVID-19, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Sawyer, D., & Arnold, J. (2020). First, do no harm - and carbon pricing won't, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Temple, J. (2020). The unholy alliance of covid-19, nationalism, and climate change, MIT Technology Review.
New! Wahaj, Z., Alam, M.M. & Al-Amin, A.Q. Climate change and COVID-19: shared challenges, divergent perspectives, and proposed collaborative solutions. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 16739–16748 (2022).
Zarnett, D. (2020). Why COVID-19 gets more government attention than the climate catastrophe, Maclean’s.

Disaster preparedness

Ambrosio, N. (2020). COVID-19 and Climate: Multifaceted Impacts, PreventionWeb.
Ambrosio, N. (2020). The compounding challenges of climate hazards and COVID-19, Four Twenty Seven.
Bakos, K. (2020). Even in the face of COVID-19, climate challenges can be addressed, iPolitics.
Draxler, B. (2020). Coronavirus and climate change: how to save lives during crises, The Narwhal.
Flavelle, C. (2020). Here's how coronavirus could raise cities' risk for climate disasters, The New York Times.
Kunreuther, H., & Slovic, P. (2020). Learning from the COVID‐19 Pandemic to Address Climate Change. The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Martinez-Diaz, L., & Sidner, L. (2020). Key investments can build resilience to pandemics and climate change, World Resources Institute.
McDonald, J. & Hammill, A. (2020). Let this crisis teach us that we must be prepared for the next, Canada’s National Observer.
Media Relations (2020). Q and A with the experts: managing natural disasters during COVID-19, Waterloo Stories.
Ness, R. (2020). When disasters collide: the sequel, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Phillips, C.A., et al. (2020). Compound climate risks in the COVID-19 pandemic, Nature Climate Change.
Rathi, A., (2020). What links coronavirus and climate change: lack of preparation, Bloomberg Green.

Economic stimulus

Adlana Cohen, D., & Kammen, D. (2020). Climate crisis will deepen the pandemic. A green stimulus plan can tackle both, The Guardian.
Arnold, J. (2020). I’m a climate researcher and COVID-19 has me thinking about buying my first car, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Beuginmike, D., & Moffatt P. (2020). Sometimes two birds require two stones, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Burch, S. (2020). How can small businesses build resilience in the face of a pandemic?, Balsillie School of International Affairs.
Cousins, B. (2020). Medical groups urge G20 to focus on climate change with COVID-19 aid packages, CTV News.
Darby, M. (2020). IMF chief: $1 trillion post-coronavirus stimulus must tackle climate crisis, Climate Change News.
Dion, J., & Olsynski, M. (2020). Well and good: The federal oil and gas support avoided pitfalls. Can future recovery efforts do the same?, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Elgie, S. (2020). What Canada's COVID-19 economic stimulus plan should look like when it comes, Maclean’s.
Farand, C. (2020). Prospect of snap election reanimates Canada’s carbon tax battle, Climate Home News.
Forrest, M. (2020). Ottawa seizes Covid-19 opportunity to require climate risk reporting, Politico.
Forster, P., et al. (2020). Current and future global climate impacts resulting from COVID-19, Nature Climate Change.
Harrabin, R. (2020). Coronavirus recovery plan 'must tackle climate change', BBC News.
Hepburn, C., et al. (2020). Will COVID-19 fiscal recovery packages accelerate or retard progress on climate change?, Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment.
Hodgson, G., & Samson, R. (2020). Sustainable finance can position Canada to thrive as global markets shift, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Lipsey, R., & Samson, R. (2020). Climate change vs. economic growth in a time of crisis, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Nathwani, J. (2020). Coronavirus, Climate and a Clean Energy Transition: Is Resiliency Achievable? Balsillie Papers.
Nathwani, J., & Ramasra, R. (2020). The post-COVID-19 economy: financing Canada's leadership in sustainable energy, Balsillie Papers.
Pinner, D., Rogers, M., & Samandari, H. (2020). Addressing climate change in a post-pandemic world, McKinsey & Company.
Prideaux B., Thompson, M., & Pabel. A. (2020). Lessons from COVID-19 can prepare global tourism for the economic transformation needed to combat climate change, Tourism Geographies.
Rosenbloom, D. & Markard, J. (2020). A COVID-19 recovery for climate, Science.
Samson, R., Felder, M., & Motha-Pollock, A. (2020). Alberta has a chance to kick-start clean growth, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Sawyer, D. (2020). Climate policy in the long shadow of COVID-19, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Tienhaara, K. (2020). Coronavirus and the economy: we need green stimuls not fossil fuel bailouts, The Conversation.
Tienhaara, K. (2020). Three ways Canada's coronavirus funds can address both economic and climate emergencies, The Narwhal.
Wherry, A. (2020). Pandemic or not, Canada still faces a climate crisis — and the clock is ticking, CBC News.

Energy transition

Andersen, I. (2020). First Person: COVID-19 is not a silver lining for the climate, says UN Environment chief, UN News.
Burch, S. (2020). How can small businesses build resilience in the face of a pandemic?, Balsillie School of International Affairs.
Cruickshank, A. (2020). COVID Pandemic-19 Shows Telecommuting Can Help Fight Climate Change, Scientific American.
Di Leo, E. (2020). The politics of leaving fossil fuels in the ground, Waterloo Stories.
Dion, J., & Olsynski, M. (2020). Well and good: The federal oil and gas support avoided pitfalls. Can future recovery efforts do the same?, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Forster, P., et al. (2020). Current and future global climate impacts resulting from COVID-19, Nature Climate Change.
Hepburn, C., et al. (2020). Will COVID-19 fiscal recovery packages accelerate or retard progress on climate change?, Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment.
Maisch, M. (2020). Covid-19 to wreck economics of new solar, wind projects, PV magazine.
Nathwani, J. (2020). Coronavirus, Climate and a Clean Energy Transition: Is Resiliency Achievable? Balsillie Papers.
Nathwani, J., & Ramasra, R. (2020). The post-COVID-19 economy: financing Canada's leadership in sustainable energy, Balsillie Papers.
Pinner, D., Rogers, M., & Samandari, H. (2020). Addressing climate change in a post-pandemic world, McKinsey & Company.
Pronesti, D., & Pronesti, G. (2020). How COVID-19 and the climate are transforming the real estate sector, World Economic Forum.
Rosenbloom, D., & Markard, J. (2020). A COVID-19 recovery for climate, Science.
Samson, R., Felder, M., & Motha-Pollock, A. (2020). Alberta has a chance to kick-start clean growth, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Sawyer, D., & Arnold, J. (2020). First, do no harm - and carbon pricing won't, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
New! Tung Chong, Cheng, Van Fan, Y., Tin Lee, C., Jaromír Klemeš, J. (2022). Post COVID-19 ENERGY sustainability and carbon emissions neutrality. Energy. Volume 241: 122801.

Global response

Crawford, V. (2020). How COVID-19 might help us win the fight against climate change, World Economic Forum.
Goering, L. (2020). What COVID-19 can teach us about tackling climate change, World Economic Forum.
Gössling S., Scott D., & Hall, M.C. (2020). Pandemics, tourism and global change: a rapid assessment of COVID-19, Journal of Sustainable Tourism.
Jamieson, D., & Jacquet, J. (2020). The US Response to COVID-19 and Climate Change Endangers the Country and the World, One Earth.
Le Quéré, C., et al. (2020). Temporary reduction in daily global CO2 emissions during the COVID-19 forced confinement, Nature Climate Change.
Manzanedo R.D. & Manning P. (2020). COVID-19: Lessons for the climate change emergency, Science of the Total Environment.
Marlard, J., & Rosenbloom, D. (2020). A tale of two crises: COVID-19 and climate, Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy.
Media Studies. (2020). Q and A with the experts: a long, hard recovery for international tourism, Waterloo Studies.
Mende, M., & Misra, V. (2020). Time to Flatten the Curves on COVID-19 and Climate Change. Marketing Can Help, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing.
Nicholson, P. (2020). Deny the facts. Downplay the risks. Then take action to protect human lives., Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
Phillips, C.A., et al. (2020). Compound climate risks in the COVID-19 pandemic, Nature Climate Change.
New! Ray, Ram L., Singh, V. P., Singh, S. K., Acharya, B. S. & He, Y. (2022). What is the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on global carbon emissions? Science of The Total Environment. Volume 816: 151503.
Roth, A. (2020). Here's what a coronavirus-like response to the climate crisis would look like, Los Angeles Times.
United Nations Environment Programme, (2020). Preventing the Next Pandemic, United Nations Environment Programme.

Impacts on research

Brackenbury, M. (2020). Pandemic halts Nasa’s NWT field research, but not all is lost, Cabin Radio.
Burch, Sarah. (2020). Climate change resilience - small businesses as part of a sustainable recovery, Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change.
Dodd, Warren. (2020). Rethinking Global Food Security in a New Era, Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change.
New! Berry, P., & Schnitter, R. (Eds.). (2022). Health of Canadians in a Changing Climate: Advancing our Knowledge for Action. Ottawa, ON: Government of Canada.
Szeman, Imre. (2020). Implications and opportunities for an energy transition, Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change.

Just transition

New! Alava, Juan José & Gerald G. Singh. (2022). Changing air pollution and CO2 emissions during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lesson learned and future equity concerns of post-COVID recovery. Environmental Science & Policy. Volume 130: 1-8.
Cohen, M. (2020). Does the COVID-19 outbreak mark the onset of a sustainable consumption transition?, Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy.
Crawford, V. (2020). How COVID-19 might help us win the fight against climate change, World Economic Forum.
Cruickshank, A. (2020). COVID Pandemic-19 Shows Telecommuting Can Help Fight Climate Change, Scientific American.
Brand-Correa, L. (2020). Coronavirus shows why we need an economy designed for wellbeing, Climate Home News.
Gallagher, B. (2020). Climate hope: How the ‘artificial leaf’ made its way to Canada, University of Waterloo Magazine.
Gössling S., Scott D., & Hall, M.C. (2020). Pandemics, tourism and global change: a rapid assessment of COVID-19, Journal of Sustainable Tourism.
Howarth, C. et al. (2020). Building a Social Mandate for Climate Action: Lessons from COVID‑19, Environmental and Resource Economics.
Kolinjivadi, V. (2020). The coronavirus outbreak is part of the climate change crisis, Aljazeera.
Le Quéré, C., et al. (2020). Temporary reduction in daily global CO2 emissions during the COVID-19 forced confinement, Nature Climate Change.
Marlard, J., & Rosenbloom, D. (2020). A tale of two crises: COVID-19 and climate, Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy.
Mende, M., & Misra, V. (2020). Time to Flatten the Curves on COVID-19 and Climate Change. Marketing Can Help, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing.
Sarkis, J. (2020). Overcoming the Arrogance of Ignorance: Supply-Chain Lessons from COVID-19 for Climate Shocks, One Earth.
Tienhaara, K. (2020). Three ways Canada's coronavirus funds can address both economic and climate emergencies, The Narwhal.

Vulnerability and risk

Ambrosio, N. (2020). The compounding challenges of climate hazards and COVID-19, Four Twenty Seven.
Anderson, T. (2020). Now is the time to climate-and-pandemic-proof our food systems, Climate Home News.
Draxler, B. (2020). Coronavirus and climate change: how to save lives during crises, The Narwhal.
Gössling S., Scott D., & Hall, M.C. (2020). Pandemics, tourism and global change: a rapid assessment of COVID-19, Journal of Sustainable Tourism.
Hickey, G.M. & Unwin, N. (2020). Addressing the triple burden of malnutrition in the time of COVID-19 and climate change in Small Island Developing States: what role for improved local food production?, Food Security.
McDonald, J. & Hammill, A. (2020). Let this crisis teach us that we must be prepared for the next, Canada’s National Observer.
Media Relations. (2020). Q and A with the experts: a long, hard recovery for international tourism, Waterloo Studies.
Muhumuza, R. (2020). Locusts, COVID-19, flooding pose 'triple threat' in East Africa, The Associated Press.
Ness, R. (2020). When disasters collide: the sequel, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
New! Pelling, Mark, Chow, W. T. L., Chu, E., Dawson, R., Dodman, D., Fraser, A., Hayward, B., Khirfan, L., McPhearson, T., Prakash, A., & Ziervogel, G. (2021). A climate resilience research renewal agenda: learning lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic for urban climate resilience. Climate and Development.
Quinlan, N. (2020). There is no vaccine for climate change – but there is a treatment, Waterloo Stories.
Sawyer, D. (2020). When Disasters Collide, Canadian Institute for Climate Choices.
UBC Okanagan News. (2020). UBCO Researcher looks at food security during COVID-19, UBC Okanagan News.
UN Environment Programme (UNEP). (2020). COVID-19 is disrupting a food industry already thrown into turmoil by climate change, UNEP.
UN Environment Programme (UNEP). (2020). For people on the front lines of climate change and conflict, COVID-19 is a new challenge, UNEP.
Zavaleta-Cortijo, C., et al. (2020). Climate change and COVID-19: reinforcing Indigenous food systems, The Lancet.

Read: A Message from IC3's Executive Director, Daniel Scott, and Managing Director, Simon Glauser about Climate Change and the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Climate policy

Disaster preparedness

Economic stimulus

Energy transition

Global response

Impacts on research

Just transition

Vulnerability and risk

Last updated: March 14, 2022

In the news

Climate change poses significant threats to global food security. In this interview with IC3 member, Professor Warren Dodd from the School of Public Health and Health Systems, he answers our questions about how the current pandemic is further exacerbating these issues around the world.

In this interview, Sarah Burch, Executive Director of IC3 and Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Management, discusses the implications of pandemic responses for a sustainable recovery, and the role that small and medium-sized businesses can play.