> How does the COVID response have anything to do with the climate response? The governments of the world have all responded differently -- some quite stringently -- and the speed with which we produced an mRNA vaccine (itself a technological marvel) is truly nuts.
I read the point as that now we've seen what governments around the world are willing to do when they perceive a real emergency: Shut down entire industries, print money to subsidize everybody, and enforce exceptions for rent/debt payments for people affected. There has as yet been no willingness to take anything of the sort in response to climate change.
How does your country intend to "keep growing". Will it do the export strategy that China and pretty much every other Asian country followed (Korea, Japan)? If yes, then it will be done by pegging the currency to the dollar with the end result of accumulating a reserve of US treasury bonds. The additional bonds that your country is purchasing will allow the US government to do more green investments, maybe even abroad, maybe even in your country. If these investments end up increasing the trade deficit even further then the green investment cycle starts again.
I read the point as that now we've seen what governments around the world are willing to do when they perceive a real emergency: Shut down entire industries, print money to subsidize everybody, and enforce exceptions for rent/debt payments for people affected. There has as yet been no willingness to take anything of the sort in response to climate change.