Are we building back better?

The report, Are We Building Back Better? Evidence from 2020 and Pathways for Inclusive Green Recovery Spending, launched in March 2021, finds that only 18.0% of advertised recovery spending can be considered "green", most of it being done by a small group of high-income countries with experience driving green investments.

This report contains data extracted from the Global Recovery Observatory, from which updated data can be obtained weekly.

The Global Recovery Observatory, is an initiative led by the Oxford University Economic Recovery Project (OUERP) and supported by UNEP, the International Monetary Fund and GIZ through the Green Fiscal Policy Network (GFPN).

Here are some key findings in terms of recovery spending by sector:

• $66.1bn was invested in low carbon energy, including subsidies for renewable energy projects and hydrogen and infrastructure investments.
• $86.1bn announced for green transport through electric vehicle transfers and subsidies, investments in public transport, cycling and walking infrastructure.
• $35.2bn for green building upgrades to increase energy efficiency., mostly through retrofits.
• $56.3bn for natural capital or Nature-based Solutions ­(NbS)– ecosystem regeneration initiatives and reforestation.
• $28.9bn dedicated to green Research and Development on renewable energy technologies, technologies for decarbonising sectors such as aviation, plastics, and agriculture, and carbon sequestration.

We invite you to read the report and consult the current data in the Global Recovery Observatory.