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How many people is the COVID-19 pandemic pushing into poverty? A long-term forecast to 2050 with alternative scenarios

Author

Listed:
  • Jonathan D Moyer
  • Willem Verhagen
  • Brendan Mapes
  • David K Bohl
  • Yutang Xiong
  • Vivian Yang
  • Kaylin McNeil
  • José Solórzano
  • Mohammod Irfan
  • Cade Carter
  • Barry B Hughes

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the course of human development. In this manuscript we analyze the long-term effect of COVID-19 on poverty at the country-level across various income thresholds to 2050. We do this by introducing eight quantitative scenarios that model the future of Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG1) achievement using alternative assumptions about COVID-19 effects on both economic growth and inequality in the International Futures model. Relative to a scenario without the pandemic (the No COVID scenario), the COVID Base scenario increases global extreme poverty by 73.9 million in 2020 (the range across all scenarios: 43.5 to 155.0 million), 63.6 million in 2030 (range: 9.8 to 167.2 million) and 57.1 million in 2050 (range: 3.1 to 163.0 million). The COVID Base results in seven more countries not meeting the SDG1 target by 2030 that would have achieved the target in a No COVID scenario. The most pessimistic scenario results in 17 more countries not achieving SDG1 compared with a No COVID scenario. The greatest pandemic driven increases in poverty occur in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonathan D Moyer & Willem Verhagen & Brendan Mapes & David K Bohl & Yutang Xiong & Vivian Yang & Kaylin McNeil & José Solórzano & Mohammod Irfan & Cade Carter & Barry B Hughes, 2022. "How many people is the COVID-19 pandemic pushing into poverty? A long-term forecast to 2050 with alternative scenarios," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(7), pages 1-21, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0270846
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270846
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