{"id":69235,"date":"2020-09-17T17:05:41","date_gmt":"2020-09-17T21:05:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.carleton.ca\/?post_type=cu_story&p=69235"},"modified":"2025-10-17T16:25:21","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T20:25:21","slug":"james-meadowcroft-task-force-resilient-recovery","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/story\/james-meadowcroft-task-force-resilient-recovery\/","title":{"rendered":"Carleton’s James Meadowcroft Contributes to Final Report of Task Force for a Resilient Recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Carleton's James Meadowcroft Contributes to Final Report of Task Force for a Resilient Recovery\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/path>\n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

After 12 weeks of robust consultation, research and analysis, the Task Force for a Resilient Recovery<\/a> that includes Carleton University Prof. James Meadowcroft launched its final report<\/a> with recommendations for the Canadian government to build on a \u201cgreen economy\u201d post-COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 56-page report outlines five \u201cbold moves\u201d supported by 22 recommendations and a call for $55.4 billion in government investment over five years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

International counterparts such as Germany, France and the United States have announced ambitious green recovery plans, which make the $5- billion suggestion seem modest in comparison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Prof.
Prof. James Meadowcroft<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Carleton\u2019s political science and public policy and administration professor said the arrival of the pandemic brought two crises simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cThere was, of course, the health crisis, but that led us into economic turmoil because people couldn’t work and businesses couldn’t operate normally,\u201d said Meadowcroft.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The task force\u2019s role was to \u201cthink about the longer term and various investments that the government can make, to not just keep [people] afloat, but making the economy more adaptable and adjusted for the future,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Canada\u2019s response to the previous economic crisis succeeded in getting people back to work, it also led to a high-pollution recovery. Therefore, the task force created this report to ensure the Canadian government builds on a future economy that\u2019s clean, prosperous and resilient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Canada does not invest in a resilient recovery while fighting climate change, it risks falling behind its competitors in the fast-growing global clean economy, said the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first part includes the five bold moves: invest in climate resilient and energy efficient buildings, jumpstart Canada\u2019s production and adoption of zero-emission vehicles; go big on growing Canada\u2019s clean-energy sectors; invest in the nature that protects and sustains us; and grow clean competitiveness and jobs across the Canadian economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of which will help Canada achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, said the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second half includes an appendix for each point that talks about specific policies which need funding and specific groups that could collaborate with government to implement the various proposals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meadowcroft was one of 15 members of the independent group, which included individuals from various sectors, such as finance, policy and sustainability leaders \u2013 including the Royal Bank of Canada, the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, Insurance Bureau of Canada \u2013 academics, expert advisers and foundations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After months of analyzing international investments and national proposals, the team met for upwards of three hours per day over Zoom calls to narrow down the overarching themes and craft the final five suggestions, explained Meadowcroft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was an amazing process, but we obviously had to do some intense work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
The Five Bold Moves and Investment breakdown<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Five Bold Moves and Investment breakdown<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n