The coronavirus crisis is driving many economies around the globe into recession, leading policymakers to draw up unprecedented spending plans to cushion the impact and enable recoveries. Activists, environmental think tanks and others warn that battling the economic slump must not come at the expense of fighting climate change. Many even see an opportunity to reset the economy on a more climate-friendly path with “green stimulus packages” that align spending with emissions targets – for example by investing in sustainable infrastructure, or tying company bail-outs to commitments to decarbonise. But the pandemic has already made climate policy a lower priority for governments and the public in Germany and across Europe. Calls to loosen emission regulations to boost economic activity are growing louder, setting the stage for intense debates in the months to come.