Time for transformative resilience: the COVID-19 emergency

The current COVID-19 emergency seems to be warning governments worldwide that new crises of unforeseeable nature are likely to emerge, as the combination of environmental degradation, societies with increasing inequalities and deep economic interconnections have made the world more vulnerable. In these circumstances, ensuring the resilience of our society is crucial. We need to be able to face shocks and persistent structural changes in such a way that societal well-being is preserved, leaving no one behind and without compromising the heritage for future generations. Since 2015, the JRC has been working to put resilience thinking into policymaking. This note summarizes some key strategic lessons from this scientific work, and put them in the context of the COVID-19 emergency.