Lombard Odier joins call for sustainable EU recovery from COVID-19

The devastating social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to disrupt lives, businesses and communities on an unprecedented scale. Governments are putting economic recovery measures in place, which will have significant ramifications for the global economy over the long term. In our view, it is therefore vital these measures pave the way for a sustainable recovery. A recovery that is low—carbon and accelerates the transition to a social and economic model that is circular, lean, inclusive and clean. We refer to this as the 'CLIC' economy.

Importantly, recovery measures need to address the climate transition across all sectors, including those where emissions are harder to abate. These industries – such as transport, power generation, steel, and cement – will still be critical to economic growth, even in a net-zero emissions economy. To achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, these sectors must be addressed head on.

We believe embedding sustainability at the heart of recovery measures would boost job creation and economic growth. It would also create massive investment opportunities, and help to address acute, systemic climate-related economic and financial risks. Private investors have a key role to play in the recovery by channelling capital into the development of sustainable, low-carbon solutions and assets that increase the resilience of our society and economy to an increasingly carbon-constrained and carbon-damaged world.

We therefore believe a sustainable recovery is critical to our ability to deliver long-term returns to clients, and sustainable outcomes for all our stakeholders. This is why Lombard Odier has signed the Open Letter to EU Leaders From Investors on a Sustainable Recovery from COVID-19 , alongside more than 100 investors representing over €11 trillion in assets. The letter calls on EU leaders to ensure a sustainable economic recovery, which supports the EU Green Deal and upholds the Paris Agreement. It outlines five key recommendations:

1. Prioritise human relief and job creation without locking in high carbon pathways.
    
2. Support the Green Deal and uphold the Paris Agreement.
    
3. Member States should ensure COVID-19 support addresses climate risk.
    
4. Prioritise climate resiliency and net zero emissions economic solutions.
    
5. Embed investor participation in recovery planning.