Overall, experts are now more optimistic that the pandemic will not derail action on sustainable development. In 2020, almost half of sustainability professionals predicted a de-prioritization of the sustainability agenda over the coming decade as a result of the coronavirus. Now just one in four experts believe this will happen. Furthermore, a third of experts believe more attention will be given to the environment due to the pandemic.
However, COVID-19 is perceived to be exacerbating socio-economic challenges, with nearly four in ten experts believing that increasing poverty and inequality will be one of the most likely effects of the pandemic.
Data source: GlobeScan / SustainAbility Survey of 700 experts representing business, government, NGOs, and academia across 72 countries.
