Conference Keynote- After COVID-19: Building Inclusive and Sustainable Economies for Resilience

COVID-19 has exposed the vulnerabilities and structural weaknesses of economic and social systems. The two major challenges of our economic systems are ecological degradation and limits the to the capacity of Earth and the immense social disparities and inequalities. It is now time to re-think and imagine our economic and social systems for a better world. In order for progress to occur we need to critique our existing economic approaches based on growth and unsustained consumption and production models. This article provides an outline of the dominant growth paradigm and outlines the key critiques of these approaches. Alternative ways to think about inclusive and ecologically sustainable economic development are considered, particularly focusing on inclusive economies and ecological economies. COVID-19 efforts are linked with resilience and adaptation. This article argues that it is critical that we go beyond the absorption of shock approaches to transformative economic development and major reforms to our economic and political systems.