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The document examines how social protection—comprising non-contributory assistance, contributory insurance, and labour-market interventions—can mitigate the economic shocks of climate change in Africa. It highlights the African Risk Capacity (ARC) for sovereign risk pooling and Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) as key models for resilience. The author emphasizes that while climate change threatens to push 130 million people into poverty, leveraging multilateral funds like the Loss and Damage Fund and Green Climate Fund can finance the necessary social protection systems to protect the continent's most vulnerable.

The Universal Basic Income Coalition (UBIC) reports that its election scorecard prompted several South African political parties, including the ANC, UDM, and GOOD, to clarify or expand their commitments to a universal basic income grant (UBIG). The ANC specifically committed to finalizing a policy for a universal BIG within two years, rejecting conditionalities, and ensuring the grant does not replace existing social security. However, UBIC notes that achieving these goals requires a shift away from austerity measures that currently exclude approximately 6 million eligible people from the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant monthly.

The report compares a 'base case' trajectory for the Democratic Republic of Congo with several sectoral scenarios and a combined 'Agenda 2063' scenario. It finds that while the combined scenario significantly boosts GDP and reduces extreme poverty and inequality, it also leads to higher carbon emissions. Industrialization and manufacturing are identified as the most impactful drivers for long-term GDP per capita growth, while agriculture provides the strongest short-to-medium term gains. The report emphasizes the need for a green energy transition to mitigate the environmental costs of this economic growth.

The Universal Basic Income Coalition (UBIC) produced a scorecard to assess political parties' positions on basic income grants (BIG) in South Africa. The analysis focuses on whether parties commit to expanding the social protection floor, providing adequate grant values, ensuring universal eligibility for adults aged 18-59, and removing conditionalities. The report highlights a wide disparity in party commitments, with Action SA, the ANC, and GOOD scoring highly for their progressive proposals, while many other parties either lack a clear policy or propose conditional grants that UBIC argues could increase exclusion and dependency.

The UBIC position paper argues for a basic income system in South Africa that serves as a universal guarantee for citizens aged 18-59. The coalition proposes a phased implementation through progressive taxation to ensure fiscal sustainability while prioritizing the most vulnerable. Key requirements for the system include that it be unconditional, individual-based rather than household-based, and set at or above the national poverty line to ensure dignity and eliminate income poverty.

The IEJ and #PTG have filed a replying affidavit in a High Court case against the South African government, arguing that the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant is administered through 'unfair and irrational systems' that exclude up to 8 million people living in food poverty. The applicants challenge the government's defense—which cites fiscal constraints and the temporary nature of the grant—by arguing that National Treasury is overstepping its mandate and that the state is prioritizing the prevention of 'inclusion errors' over the rights of eligible beneficiaries. The document further notes that recent regulatory amendments and a small increase in grant value (from R350 to R370) fail to address the retrogression of the grant's purchasing power against high food inflation.

The document examines India as a critical case study for the climate-insecurity-migration nexus, highlighting the tension between economic development and climate action. It identifies the need for stronger domestic architecture, regional policy platforms, improved institutional coordination, and adequate climate finance to address these challenges across South and Southeast Asia.

The statement contends that the R20 increase to the SRD grant is an 'insulting pittance' that fails to account for a 20% real-term decrease in grant value since 2020. It highlights that the grant remains below the R760 monthly minimum energy intake cost and argues that budget cuts from R44 billion in 2022 to R33.6 billion in 2024 create systemic barriers and high exclusion errors, affecting approximately 50% of eligible persons. The authors advocate for the implementation of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) to meet constitutional obligations and stimulate economic growth.

The IEJ argues that the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant is plagued by a 50% exclusion error rate due to systemic barriers and budget constraints. The organization opposes proposed regulatory amendments—including the retention of the R350 grant value, the extension of the grant only until March 2025, and new punitive measures for fund recovery and payment cancellation—claiming these measures disregard digital exclusion and the diminishing real value of the grant.

The IEJ and #PTG argue that the draft SRD grant regulations are regressive and fail to meet government commitments to 'extend and improve' social assistance. They highlight a 50% exclusion error rate and criticize the decision to freeze the grant at R350, which they claim is unlawful and irrational given inflation. The submission proposes a two-phase increase: first to R530 to align with the Child Support Grant, and later to the Food Poverty Line of R760. Additionally, they oppose new regulations regarding the recovery of irregular payments and the cancellation of applications for 'untraceable' applicants, arguing these shift the blame for systemic administrative failures onto vulnerable beneficiaries.

The Universal Basic Income Coalition (UBIC) criticizes draft amendments to South Africa's Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant regulations. While the amendments extend the grant until 2025, UBIC argues they introduce punitive clauses, such as the power to recover funds from beneficiaries and the cancellation of unpaid applications after 90 days. The coalition highlights that the R350 grant value is now below half of the food poverty line due to inflation and attributes high exclusion rates to National Treasury's budget constraints and poor administration by DSD and SASSA.

The document evaluates low-, medium-, and high-ambition scenarios for transitioning South Africa's Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant into a more permanent basic income grant (BIG). Using the DIMMSIM model, the research finds that such grants are fiscally sustainable when funded through progressive taxation and lead to significant reductions in poverty and unemployment while boosting GDP growth.

The author contends that sub-Saharan African low-income economies face a severe debt and solvency crisis, with debt service consuming 31 per cent of revenues and eroding poverty gains. The text calls for a comprehensive debt relief mechanism equivalent to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and reforms to the G20 Common Framework to facilitate quicker debt restructuring.

The document argues that a Basic Income Grant (BIG) is affordable and sustainable for South Africa, potentially reducing poverty by up to two-thirds and increasing GDP growth from 2.2% to between 2.8% and 3.5% by 2030. It presents three modelling scenarios (low, medium, and high ambition) funded through a combination of wealth taxes, a social security tax, and increased VAT revenue generated by stimulated consumption. The analysis suggests that the net cost of a UBIG could be as low as 50% of its gross cost due to the 'multiplier effect' and tax clawbacks.

The report analyzes Mozambique's development prospects through 2043 using the International Futures (IFs) modeling platform. It finds that under the current trajectory, Mozambique is unlikely to meet most of its national development goals due to governance failures, infrastructure gaps, and low agricultural productivity. While liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects are expected to boost GDP, they are not projected to significantly reduce extreme poverty without broader structural reforms. The report evaluates eight sectoral scenarios, concluding that infrastructure investment has the highest impact on GDP growth, while a combined approach across all sectors—including agriculture, governance, and trade—offers the most substantial improvements in poverty reduction and per capita income.

The research paper assesses three Basic Income Grant (BIG) scenarios for South Africa: Low, Medium, and High Ambition. Using the Dynamically Integrated Macro-Micro Simulation Model (DIMMSIM), the author argues that a BIG can be funded through a combination of a wealth tax, a Social Security Tax (SST), and increased VAT revenue without requiring changes to existing income tax or VAT rates. The findings suggest that such a programme would significantly reduce poverty and inequality while simultaneously boosting GDP growth and employment, contradicting predictions from neoclassical CGE and DSGE models that suggest such transfers lead to economic contraction.

The Community Resilience Partnership Program (CRPP) is a regional initiative managed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to strengthen the climate resilience of approximately 3.2 million poor and vulnerable people in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu. The program is structured into two components: a Trust Fund (TF) for upstream capacity building and knowledge generation, and an Investment Fund (IF) for downstream implementation of adaptation measures. The IF focuses on three primary outputs: improving climate risk information systems, implementing climate-resilient pro-poor livelihoods, and constructing pro-poor climate adaptation infrastructure. The program emphasizes transformational adaptation, gender equality, and the use of nature-based solutions to address the disproportionate impacts of climate change on marginalized populations.

The document advocates for a Guaranteed Universal Basic Income (UBIG) in South Africa, defining it as a government commitment to ensure all adults have a minimum income to meet basic needs. It highlights that while social grants have been effective since apartheid, significant gaps remain, particularly for able-bodied adults aged 18 to 59. The text argues that a UBIG, set at the highest food poverty line, could eliminate hunger for the 18.3 million people currently unable to afford basic food. Beyond poverty relief, the document claims a UBIG would improve health and education outcomes, stimulate local economic growth, reduce gender inequality by providing women with autonomy, and enhance social cohesion. It emphasizes that a UBIG is not a standalone solution but requires complementary interventions, including a supportive macroeconomic framework, expanded public services, a just energy transition strategy, and high-impact industrial policy.

The document advocates for a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) in South Africa, defining it as a government commitment to ensure all adults receive a minimum income to meet basic needs. It argues that current social grant systems have gaps, particularly for adults aged 18 to 59, and that a UBIG would address systemic poverty, improve health and education outcomes, and stimulate local economies. The text asserts that such a guarantee is a constitutional right under Section 27 of the South African Constitution and aligns with international obligations under the ICESCR.

The document advocates for a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) in South Africa, defining it as a government commitment to ensure all adults receive a basic income to meet essential needs. It highlights that current social grants, while effective, leave a gap for adults aged 18 to 59. The text argues that UBIG would not only reduce poverty and hunger—noting that 18.3 million people lack sufficient income for basic food—but also improve health, education, gender equality, and local economic growth.