Context: Recently,a new study from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has found that an additional 207 million people could be pushed into the extreme poverty.
Key highlights of the study

• The 'High Damage' scenario anticipates that 80 per cent of the COVID-induced economic crisis would persist in 10 years' time due to loss in productivity.
• A focused set of SDG investments over the next decade in social protection/welfare programmes, governance, digitalisation, and a green economy could not only prevent the rise of extreme poverty, but actually exceed the development trajectory the world was on before the pandemic.
• SDG Push' scenario would lift an additional 146 million people out of extreme poverty, narrow the gender poverty gap, and reduce the female poverty headcount by 74 million.

Proposed solutions in the study

• There is an opportunity to invest that will not only help recover from COVID19 but that re sets the development path of the people.
• SDG interventions suggested combined behavioral changes for both government and citizens, such as improved effectiveness and efficiency in the governance and changes in consumption patterns of food, energy and water.
• There is a need for the global collaboration for climate action, additional investment in Covid19 recovery, needing for improved broadband access and technology innovation.