Polski
Business and economics, Issue 17/2024
Climate crisis – social protection affects only half of the world’s population
Sep
Climate change not only directly affects the planet, but also threatens the lives, health and proper functioning of its inhabitants. In this regard, it is worth being aware that, according to data released by the International Labor Organization (ILO), half of the world’s people currently have no social protection. Moreover, this group includes more than 90 percent. citizens of countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse phenomena accompanying climate change.
The provision of social protection is a necessity in the context of securing people from the effects of the climate crisis.
It represents a totality of measures and actions by public or private entities to assist households and individuals with specific risks or needs, provided that there are no simultaneous reciprocal or individual arrangements.
This definition comes from
This information confirms that it is impossible to talk about social justice at the moment, and the world’s governments still have a lot of work to do to fully realize the enormous potential of social protection in the context of preventing the negative effects of climate change. It is important to realize that the climate crisis affects everyone, and there is no escape from the changes. This is borne out by the words of ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo, who said that climate change does not recognize borders and we cannot build a wall to stop the crisis.
The state of social protection is a reflection of a deeply divided world
The aforementioned ILO report cannot be taken solely negatively, as it shows that for the first time in history, more than half of the world’s population (52.4 percent) is covered by at least one form of social protection. The improvement with respect to 2015, when the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted, is therefore notable, as at that time only 42.8 percent had social protection. of the world’s people. That’s where the positive news ends, however, as data in the latest report shows that:
- in the 20 most vulnerable countries to climate change, 91.3 percent, or about 364 million people, are not covered by any form of social protection;
- taking into account the 50 countries that are most vulnerable to climate change, the number of people without social protection has risen to about 2.1 billion, or 75 percent of the The population of these countries;
- As many as 76.1 percent. of the world’s children are still not covered by effective social protection, which affects not only their living conditions, but also their development prospects.
As Mia Seppo, who is the ILO’s deputy director-general, said, the clear disparities in the right to social protection are a reflection of our deeply divided world. The biggest challenge today is to provide social protection to those who are most vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change, i.e. those on the front lines. The lack of social protection is a serious problem, as its role in mitigating the effects of climate change is very important and facilitates adaptation.
What is important here is that many countries, which are increasingly facing the negative effects of the crisis, are really ill-prepared to deal with them on various levels. However, this affects everyone, and the ILO director-general is calling for awareness-raising in this regard, saying that we need to realize that what happens to the affected communities will affect us all.
How does social protection safeguard against the effects of the climate crisis?
As already mentioned, the role of state welfare in the context of climate change mitigation is very important. This is because social protection helps cope with and adapt to the negative effects of climate change. This is possible not only by providing adequate benefits or access to health care, but also by protecting businesses, workers and their families during the environmental transition that is taking place. In addition, it can also facilitate sustainable development, including by increasing employees’ access to training. The new skills will allow them to adapt to the new reality and function in a low-carbon and green economy.
How social protection is helping to combat the climate crisis is also illustrated by the words of the ILO’s director general. Houngbo argues that social protection is essential to ensure that the ongoing green and low-carbon energy transition leaves no one behind. By supporting and protecting workers around the world, we can help ease concerns about the transition, which is essential to mobilizing widespread support for a sustainable and equitable transition . Poza tym istotne jest także bezpieczeństwo społeczne, ponieważ wobec zagrożeń, które mogą nadejść w każdej chwili, zdecydowanie bezpieczniej czują się osoby posiadające ubezpieczenie zdrowotne lub społeczne, pozwalające korzystać z różnego rodzaju świadczeń.
Government assistance is essential
Eliminating gaps in social protection requires action by governments that are not using their potential in this area. Indeed, social protection is an enabler of positive climate action. It needs to be reinvested so that it is not only more effective, but also extends its reach to those who are currently excluded from it. It is worth noting, therefore, that while on average countries spend 12.9 percent on social protection (excluding health care). of their GDP (gross domestic product), the figure for low-income countries is only 0.8 percent. GDP.
Wealthy countries spend an average of 16.2 percent on social protection. of their GDP, and it is they who should assist poorer countries, which would help reduce inequality. International support is necessary because, as hard data shows, low-income countries, and those most vulnerable to climate change, need as much as $308.5 billion extra per year (52.3 percent of GDP) to guarantee at least basic social protection coverage for their citizens. Accordingly, the ILO report calls for increased investment in social protection and integrated policy action to close the gap.
