The Covid19 crisis is part of a larger set of crisis dynamics which are likely to dominate the political arena in the years to come. It is therefore all the more important to take this crisis into account and to accept it as a characteristic of the political sphere of action, especially when it comes to overcoming this crisis in the long term. This is because it also offers opportunities, as it is easier to thwart strong lobby groups in moments of crisis and to push through major political solutions that would never be implemented in times of normal politics.
In a new statement paper we advocate for using the political room for maneuver that always emerges in a crisis specifically for fundamental socio-ecological reforms.
This sounds more trivial than it is. After all, possible transformational approaches for times of crisis must be preconceived and developed at a time when there is no chance whatsoever of political implementation for these measures. Potential measures to overcome a future crisis must be assessed for their possible repercussions on other sectors at a time when no one is calling for or wants to implement such measures. In addition, transition periods or phased plans must take into account possible crisis reactions. This is not how politics has worked so far.