Social Assistance and Climate Resilience in Fragile and Conflict-affected Settings

Lars Otto Naess,Jan Selby,Jeremy Lind,Gabrielle Daoust

doi:10.19088/basic.2022.027

Abstract

This brief gives an overview of the evidence, gaps and future directions for social assistance and climate resilience, with a particular focus on FCAS. Drawing on a recent literature review, we examine existing debates and consider that climate-related social assistance in FCAS involves particular challenges, including risks of maladaptive support.

Highlights

Social assistance – such as cash transfers and voucher programmes – has been seen as a way of reducing the impacts of climate-related shocks and stressors, and of increasing the resilience of recipient households and communities. It has been seen as a mechanism for delivering adaptation funding, showing promise in tackling short-term shocks as well as longer-term adaptation to climate change
Many questions remain over the suitability and evidence for linkages, and how and under what conditions social assistance interventions may successfully strengthen climate resiliience, and for whom. This brief gives an overview of the evidence, gaps and future directions for social assistance and climate resilience, with a particular focus on Fragile and conflict-affected settings (FCAS)
Drawing on a recent literature review, we examine existing debates and consider that climate-related social assistance in FCAS involves particular challenges, including risks of maladaptive support

Summary

Theme summary

Changing, risks to people and livelihoods. Fragile and conflict-affected settings (FCAS) host some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. Social assistance – such as cash transfers and voucher programmes – has been seen as a way of reducing the impacts of climate-related shocks and stressors, and of increasing the resilience of recipient households and communities It has been seen as a mechanism for delivering adaptation funding, showing promise in tackling short-term shocks as well as longer-term adaptation to climate change. Drawing on a recent literature review, we examine existing debates and consider that climate-related social assistance in FCAS involves particular challenges, including risks of maladaptive support. This thematic brief is a shortened version of a BASIC Research Working Paper. All costs related to BASIC Research are covered by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

State of the evidence and debate

Gaps in the evidence

Directions for research