The direct and indirect impacts of the "COVID-19 Shock" on the Asia-Pacific region have unfolded rapidly, varied widely by country and continue to affect economies. In some countries rises in poverty are expected, while in others an initial fall in carbon emissions has been observed.

Asia-Pacific countries' fiscal responses have been constrained by their GDP, but even in poorer countries Asia-Pacific governments have taken strong and innovative covid-19 response measures to support their poorest, especially in job creation.

Overall, 111 measures have been introduced by Asia Pacific countries that are in line with a green recovery. The policy brief provides six inspirational "sweet spot" case studies from countries at all income levels from the region doing so.

However, 56% of these measures are entirely unplanned, and there are a further 93 measures countries in the region have committed to take under the Paris agreement that could be in line with a green recovery that are not yet being implemented. there are also to date few "role model" examples of Asian and pacific countries implementing an economy-wide "build-forward" policy, and there are major gaps in the energy, transport and tourism and land-use sectors.

Yet financial resources are limited. only one country in the region -Singapore - estimates its climate change costs as similar to its COVID-19 response cost to date. there is therefore an urgent, significant need to align Asia-Pacific countries' covid-19 responses now to stimulate both poverty reduction and sustainable development, especially to avoid "spending twice" on the covid19 and climate change "Grey Rhino's".