UNDP says the energy and food shock could expose 130 million more people to poverty

One hundred thirty million people.

That is the UN Development Programme's estimate of the additional population that could fall below $6.85 a day if higher energy and food prices pass through in full. The agency's new report calls this potential exposure, not an observed increase in poverty.

Gasoline and diesel prices across 130 countries have risen by averages of 26 percent and 38 percent since the Middle East conflict began. The increases widened in nearly two-thirds of countries between June and September.

The same report estimates that fully compensating households would cost about 1.1 percent of developing-country GDP. Targeting support only to people below $6.85 a day would cost about 0.3 percent.