Introducing UC4CJ: Unconditional Cash for Climate Justice

Zainab Bie - Director, Asia Pacific

What If Financial Security Was the Key to Climate Justice? Equal Right’s new Pilot in Tuvalu Uses Unconditional Cash to Empower Frontline Climate Activists.

In Tuvalu, where 96% of land sits less than five meters above sea level, climate activists are fighting an existential battle. As climate change threatens the very existence of the small Pacific Island nation, we're excited to announce an innovative approach that merges universal basic income principles with climate justice.

Our pilot project, ‘UBI 4 Climate Justice’ provides unconditional cash transfers to climate activists, recognizing their critical role as frontline defenders of both environment and culture.

The intersection of economic insecurity and climate vulnerability creates a devastating cycle: while Tuvalu's activists lead crucial environmental initiatives, they often struggle with financial precarity that limits their capacity to sustain advocacy. Our pilot breaks this cycle by providing monthly stipends of £50 or an annual lump-sum payment of £500 to climate defenders, enabling them to dedicate more of their time and energy to environmental protection and community resilience.

Mesepele is a climate activist living in Tuvalu.

Our pilot is the first of its kind to do two things:

First, it recognizes that economic security isn't just about individual wellbeing, it's a fundamental requirement for effective climate action.

Secondly, it demonstrates how unconditional cash transfers can serve as a mechanism for climate justice, redistributing resources to those facing the most severe climate impacts while contributing the least to global emissions.

With basic income support, activists can focus on developing indigenous climate solutions, preserving traditional ecological knowledge, and building long-term community resilience. This model shows particular promise for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), where local climate defenders often possess crucial environmental knowledge but lack financial resources to apply it effectively. We hope to create a tangible pathway to advocate for distribution of wealth to those most impacted by climate catastrophe by directly providing financial resources to local climate activists . This approach transforms abstract climate policy into direct, meaningful support, enabling frontline defenders to develop adaptive strategies, and advocate for systemic climate solutions.

Kato is a climate activist living in Tuvalu.

As Equal Right continues to advocate for basic income globally, our UC4CJ pilot offers a concrete example of how unconditional cash transfers can address interconnected challenges of economic inequality and environmental justice.

We're seeking to scale this model, aiming to support up to 100 climate activists in Tuvalu by the end of 2025, and demonstrating how basic income can serve as a powerful tool for both social and environmental transformation.

Lilly is a climate activist living in Tuvalu.

Help us to reach more activists in Tuvalu

Would you consider donating today to help us continue supporting frontline climate activists in Tuvalu?