It can provide a wider choice of green products such as energy saving appliances, e-vehicles, and sustainable building materials. Government departments can be mandated to purchase such products, and the aggregation of demand can nudge manufacturers to reduce the carbon footprint of their products and seek green certification.
According to the Brookings Institution, Africa spent around $43 billion on food imports in 2019. Due to the current inflationary environment, most recent estimates are probably higher.
Current patterns of food production and consumption are driving the collapse of the ecosystems upon which humanity depends on. But building a more sustainable food system is possible, and requires only the political will to act now.
The author argues that disparities in vaccine access are not an accident of fate, but a result of wealthy countries keeping vaccine supplies within their own borders and pharmaceutical companies looking to increase their profits.