Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have impeded progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals

This study uses an adaptive multi-regional input-output model to quantitatively assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic responses on global and national SDG progress. The results show that pandemic responses reduced overall progress towards the SDGs by 8.2%, with socio-economic sustainability declining by 18.1% while environmental sustainability improved by 5.1%. Developing countries suffered greater reductions in overall sustainability (9.7%) than developed countries (7.1%). Post-pandemic scenarios indicate that pandemic responses will continue to impede SDG progress and worsen inequality between countries, particularly for socio-economic targets. A sustainable post-pandemic strategy requires responses that address inequality and mitigate trade-offs between SDGs.

Cai Li, Zhongci Deng, Zhen Wang, Yuanchao Hu, Ling Wang, Shuxia Yu, Wei Li, Zhihua Shi, Brett A. Bryan