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Governments urged to invest more in green cities to beat coronavirus slump

(Reuters, 14 Sep 2020) Investments in climate-friendly infrastructure like rooftop gardens, cycle lanes and renewable energy across world's cities could support millions of jobs, researchers say.

From planting more trees to saving on energy use in old buildings, governments should look at greening their cities to create jobs and spur growth as they seek to revive economies hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, researchers said on Monday.

Home to more than half of the world's population, cities have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 crisis, which is projected to cost the global economy more than $12 trillion over two years, according to a report by urban and climate experts.

"We have seen from the COVID-19 pandemic that when cities stop working, so does the global economy," said lead author Manisha Gulati of the Coalition for Urban Transitions, a group of research organisations pushing for more sustainable cities.

"When we are now looking at recovery, it is only natural that we start with cities," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

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Reuters, 14 Sep 2020: Governments urged to invest more in green cities to beat coronavirus slump