International Labour Organization
WWF (Observer)
United Nations Environment Programme
World Bank Group
The third and final dialogue in the EMG Nexus Dialogue series COVID-19 and the Environment explored the interconnections between human health, environmental change and the resilience of social and economic systems, drawing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bringing together experts from ILO, WHO, UNEP, WWF and GIZ, the dialogue examined how the pandemic exposed vulnerabilities across interconnected systems, including public health, occupational safety, biodiversity, natural resource management and livelihoods. Discussions highlighted the importance of understanding how environmental degradation, ecosystem disruption and zoonotic disease risks interact with wider social and economic challenges.
Participants emphasized the need for integrated approaches to risk management, stronger scientific information and early-warning systems, and closer collaboration across sectors and institutions. The dialogue also explored the role of nature-based solutions, local communities, civil society and the private sector in strengthening resilience and addressing the underlying drivers of environmental and health risks.
The dialogue underscored that healthy ecosystems, human wellbeing and economic resilience are fundamentally interconnected. It called for a systems-thinking approach to policymaking and international cooperation, recognizing that integrated solutions can simultaneously advance environmental protection, public health and sustainable development.
