In the aftermath of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 27) and the important debates that followed, this episode discusses the relevance of social protection as an actionable strategy for climate action.  

This year was marked by severe climate events and risks, with a rise in heatwaves, floods, droughts, and wildfires, leading to significant effects on those most vulnerable to environmental hazards. Many no longer perceive climate change as a future threat, but rather as a pressing reality that places countless people at risk of deteriorating living conditions and even losing their livelihoods.  

How can social protection help address the risks posed by climate change today and in the future? To bring the issue into perspective, we asked our guests to reflect on both climate adaption and mitigation, focusing on possible pathways for environmental restoration and nature-based solutions, as well as an equitable transition towards a post-carbon economy.  

Shedding light on these concerns, we heard from Bessie Msusa, Chief Economist in the Department of Economic Planning and Development in Malawi, and Cecilia Costella, Independent Consultant and Senior Advisor with the Red Cross Climate Centre. Finally, for this month’s Quick Wins, we were joined by Felicity O’Brien, Assistant Director at the Social Protection Team at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). 

Resources: 

Podcast | Poverty Unpacked Episode #28: Climate change – How can people in poverty be better supported to cope with climate shocks? 

News | Climate change increased rainfall associated with tropical cyclones hitting highly vulnerable communities in Madagascar, Mozambique & Malawi 

Publications | Can Social Protection Tackle Risks Emerging from Climate Change, and How? a Framework and a Critical Review 

Website | 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence 

Webinar | Harnessing Social Protection to Address Violence Against Women and Girls 

Publication | "We don't do a lot for them specifically": A scoping report on gaps and opportunities for improving diverse SOGIESC inclusion in cash transfer and social protection programs, during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond 

Webinar | ‘’We don’t do a lot for them specifically'': diverse SOGIESC (aka LGBTIQ+) inclusion in social protection and cash-based assistance 

Publication | The role of socialprotection.org in fostering knowledge exchange and capacity-building in social protection through a knowledge brokering perspective