Why 2021 could be even worse than 2020

A storm of conflict, hunger, poverty and the ongoing pandemic, could make it a very hard 12 months for millions worldwide senior UN officials tell Bel Trew

(AFP via Getty Images)

A “catastrophic” combination of Covid-19, climate change and conflict could see record numbers of people go hungry, dip into extreme poverty and be forcibly displaced in 2021 according to senior United Nations officials who warned the outlook for this year was the “darkest and bleakest ever seen”.

The coronavirus pandemic has infected 65 million people worldwide, killed over 1.5 million, and continues to claim 70,000 lives every week, shutting down countries, closing borders, hitting economies and pushing health systems to the brink.

But it has only compounded an already devastating cocktail of crises which altogether could see catastrophic global famine in the coming months, poverty levels rise for the first time in 20 years and life expectancy fall, senior UN officials toldThe Independent.