Recovery investments are spending plans by governments and central banks to help a community or area to regroup and move on from an emergency. Sometimes these are direct investments, when governments invest in local businesses and activities who have struggled to stay afloat during the crisis. Sometimes they involve investments in new processes and infrastructure to boost productivity and economic activity indirectly.

Recovery investments can be particularly effective where they incorporate wider priorities and targets - meaning that the area is rebuilt better, more resilient and more fair. The COVID-19 pandemic spurred many organizations around the world to help economies recover from the crisis by investing in green technologies and initiatives that created jobs, healthy spaces and new business opportunities. 

Recovery investments are less effective where they involve weak regulations or investments into the same system that caused the disaster in the first place. After the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, public money was used to ‘bail out’ the banks, and many argue that not enough was done to support those whose livelihoods and savings were affected, or to set up alternative systems.  

Recovery investments are commonly made after disasters as governments know they must be seen to do something to help populations get back on their feet. However, politicians may use the chaos and disruption of disaster situations to further their own agenda instead, benefitting from reduced public scrutiny into their actions. Lobbyists may also use the fragile situation to persuade governments to adopt their policies and ideas.

Discard 1 card from your hand, then remove 1 Community in Crisis from the player board of any one player (including yours).
You may take this action once per Incentive tag in this card's stack per round. (Each time you take this action, you may target the same or a different player.)

• Greening Finance To Build Back Better (Positive Money)

• Better Banking (New Economics Foundation)

• Investments for green recovery and transformational growth 2020–30 (LSE)

• Advocate for recovery investment decisions by governments and public bodies to consider other local priorities and goals, and work towards long term targets as well as resolving the short-term situation. 

• If you are able to, continue to scrutinize political decisions in relation to investments and spending, write to elected representatives and engage in government decisions, to push back against unethical and corrupt political behavior emerging during the crisis

• Join mutual aid groups and community networks, if you can, to support your community to rebuild and heal directly.