This paper sets out the case for climate-responsive social protection (SP) and proposes a framework with principles, design features and functions that would help SP systems evolve in a climate-responsive direction. The principles comprise climate-aware planning; livelihood-based approaches that consider the full range of assets and institutions available to households and communities; and aiming for resilient communities by planning for the long term. Four design features that can help achieve this are: 1) scalable and flexible programmes that can increase coverage in response to climate disasters; 2) climate-responsive targeting systems; 3) investments in livelihoods that build community and household resilience; and 4) promotion of better climate risk management. To illustrate these principles, the paper uses two case studies from Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme and Mongolia’s Sustainable Livelihoods Project.
Key Findings:
- The examples from Ethiopia and Mongolia illustrate that progress toward climate-responsive social protection is feasible and desirable, even in low income countries. Some characteristics of these cases include attention to climate risks in planning, design, execution, and monitoring of programmes; attention to rural livelihoods; and extensive coordination with actors outside SP like disaster and meteorological agencies.
- Other important features of the two cases are scalable and flexible programmes that deploy an array of support instruments aimed at prevention using implicit and explicit insurance mechanisms against climate events, protection against shocks, and promotion of livelihood resilience.
- Targeting households that are particularly vulnerable to climate shocks is possible through a combination of categorical targeting and self-targeting.
Recommendations:
- Safety net programmes and social funds in many countries play a growing role in post-disaster response and in building livelihood resilience. Going forward, it will be important for the sector to pay close attention to the impact of climate change on livelihoods and to institutional capacity for disaster response and adaptation planning.
- Geographic targeting can be an effective way to identify areas most vulnerable to climate risk and most in need of social protection interventions. As climate change begins to affect the nature and timing of agricultural production and increase the incidence of extreme weather events, geographic targeting will be an increasingly important approach to social protection targeting. Because the effects of climate change at the local level are highly variable, disaggregated data from early warning systems is needed to ensure that specific climate-affected populations are not overlooked.
- Inviting the participation of local communities in the planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of programmes can increase their sense of ownership of and demand for services.
- Public–private partnerships can effectively build risk mitigation institutions that are affordable and appropriate and that can build national resilience at the community and national levels. Complementary support from other sectors and policies is also essential to the success of these programmes.
