In the face of the growing climate crisis, the world is grappling with unprecedented environmental, social, and economic challenges. As global temperatures rise, communities across the globe—especially in the most vulnerable regions—are experiencing the brutal consequences of climate change. While much focus has been placed on technological and policy solutions to address climate change, the role of social protection systems remains underexplored and underutilized. The recent International Labour Organization (ILO) report, World Social Protection Report 2024-26: Universal social protection for climate action and a just transition, highlights a critical gap in the fight against climate change: the lack of effective social protection for those most vulnerable to its effects.
Social Protection: A Catalyst for Climate Action
Social protection refers to policies and programs designed to reduce poverty and vulnerability by promoting access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and income security. While traditionally associated with mitigating economic hardships and reducing inequalities, social protection can play a pivotal role in addressing the social dimensions of climate change.
According to the ILO report, social protection can help individuals and communities adapt to climate-related shocks by providing income security and access to healthcare during periods of environmental stress. It can also serve as a buffer for families, workers, and enterprises during the transition to a green and low-carbon economy. For example, social protection programs can include provisions for retraining workers in industries transitioning to cleaner technologies, ensuring that they have the skills to secure employment in emerging green sectors.
However, the ILO report reveals that governments around the world are failing to fully leverage the potential of social protection systems to support climate action. Despite significant progress, with over half of the global population now having some form of social protection coverage, many of the countries most vulnerable to climate change have the lowest levels of coverage. In the 20 countries most at risk from climate impacts, 91.3% of people still lack any form of social protection, leaving millions exposed to the devastating effects of climate change without a safety net.
The Climate Crisis and Social Justice
The climate crisis is not just an environmental issue; it is fundamentally a social justice issue. As noted by ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo, “The climate crisis affects us all and represents the single, gravest, threat to social justice today.” The ILO report emphasizes that those countries and communities that are least responsible for global carbon emissions are often the ones bearing the brunt of climate impacts. Low-income countries, in particular, face severe consequences from rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and prolonged droughts, yet they lack the resources to protect their populations through social safety nets.
In these vulnerable regions, the lack of social protection exacerbates existing inequalities. The report highlights that globally, 76.1% of children still have no effective social protection coverage, and there is a persistent gender gap, with women’s coverage lagging behind that of men. In climate-vulnerable countries, these gaps are even more pronounced, further marginalizing already vulnerable populations.
For these reasons, social protection must be at the heart of efforts to combat climate change. It can help create more resilient communities by addressing the immediate needs of those most affected by climate disasters while also supporting long-term adaptation strategies. In essence, social protection is not just a tool for reducing poverty—it is a mechanism for ensuring that the transition to a sustainable future is both just and equitable.
Social Protection for a Just Transition
The concept of a “just transition” refers to the idea that the shift toward a green and sustainable economy should be inclusive and fair, ensuring that no one is left behind. As countries move to decarbonize their economies, certain industries, such as fossil fuel extraction and heavy manufacturing, are likely to decline, potentially displacing workers and disrupting communities. Without adequate social protection measures in place, the transition to a low-carbon economy could worsen inequalities and deepen social unrest.
Social protection can facilitate a just transition by providing income support and retraining opportunities for workers in industries that are being phased out. As the ILO report points out, governments must invest in upskilling programs to ensure that workers have the knowledge and skills necessary for employment in green sectors, such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable agriculture. Moreover, social protection systems can help secure public acceptance of climate mitigation measures by alleviating fears about job loss and economic instability.
Despite its critical role in supporting a just transition, the ILO report finds that governments are significantly underinvesting in social protection systems. On average, countries spend 12.9% of their gross domestic product (GDP) on social protection, excluding healthcare. However, this figure masks significant disparities between high-income and low-income countries. While high-income countries allocate an average of 16.2% of GDP to social protection, low-income countries spend only 0.8%. These low levels of investment are particularly concerning given that many low-income countries are also the most vulnerable to climate change.
Bridging the Social Protection Gap: Recommendations for Action
The ILO report outlines several recommendations for strengthening social protection systems in the context of the climate crisis:
- Closing the Coverage Gap: Governments must take decisive action to extend social protection coverage to all individuals, particularly in climate-vulnerable countries. This includes preparing for both routine life cycle risks, such as unemployment and illness, as well as climate-related shocks, such as natural disasters and food insecurity. Expanding social protection coverage is essential to building resilience and protecting communities from the long-term impacts of climate change.
- Supporting Climate Mitigation and Adaptation: Social protection systems should be integrated into broader climate mitigation and adaptation strategies. By providing income security, healthcare, and other benefits, social protection can help individuals and communities cope with the impacts of climate change and support public acceptance of necessary mitigation measures, such as carbon taxes and the phase-out of fossil fuels.
- Investing in Social Protection: Low-income countries, in particular, need increased investment in social protection systems to close the coverage gap and ensure that their populations are adequately protected. The ILO report estimates that low-income countries require an additional $308.5 billion per year to guarantee basic social protection for all. International support will be essential in reaching this goal, as many of these countries lack the fiscal space to make such investments on their own.
- Promoting Gender Equality: Governments must address the gender gap in social protection coverage by ensuring that women have equal access to benefits such as maternity leave, healthcare, and pensions. Climate change disproportionately affects women, particularly in low-income countries, and social protection systems must be designed to mitigate these impacts.
Green transition:
The ILO report underscores the urgent need to integrate social protection into global efforts to combat climate change and support a just transition to a sustainable economy. Social protection systems are not only a tool for reducing poverty and inequality but also a critical component of climate resilience and adaptation. However, the current levels of investment in social protection are insufficient, particularly in the countries most vulnerable to climate change.
To ensure that the ongoing green transition leaves no one behind, governments must prioritize closing the coverage gap, investing in social protection systems, and providing support to those most affected by climate change. By doing so, social protection can act as a catalyst for positive climate action, helping to build a more just and equitable world for future generations.
References
- International Labour Organization (ILO), World Social Protection Report 2024-26: Universal social protection for climate action and a just transition.
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Human Development Report 2023.
- World Bank, Social Protection and Climate Change: Strengthening Resilience and Reducing Vulnerability, 2023.
- Oxfam International, Climate Change and Inequality: A Double Injustice, 2022.
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Sixth Assessment Report, 2022.
