27 April 2009: The annual High-Level Meeting of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) with the Bretton Woods Institutions, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) addressed the global economic crisis and perspectives for UN responses.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon addressed the session, and highlighted the Group of 20’s commitment to a ‘green’ recovery and the establishment within the UN of “a system-wide mechanism for monitoring vulnerability, and sounding the alert when necessary.” He noted recovery should be pursued in a way that promotes sustainable development. He said “indeed, this crisis, devastating as it is, is also an opportunity to move towards a Green New Deal.”