Connecting Basic Income with Climate Action

The International Panel on Climate Change made it clear. Human activity is responsible for the existential threat of this climate emergency. Decisive action must be made immediately to avert a global average temperature rise of just two degrees. That number may seem small, but the knock-on effects are huge. Just two degrees could tip the balance towards sea level rise, ocean acidification, release of the immense storage of methane and carbon in our combined northern permafrosts, destruction of coral reefs, more heat waves, conflict due to climate migration, and the overall ramping up of every kind of weather pattern. The earth itself will always endure, but the survival of life on earth remains our decision.

During the early lockdown last spring our emissions dropped 5%. But as climate scientists explained, we would need to maintain an average drop of 7.6% to be on the right path. As such it is clear that small changes to our habits are insufficient. We don’t ignore other creditors and we simply cannot ignore this one.

Meanwhile, there is another kind of change in the air. We have seen with the so-called “labour shortage” that the most direct way to influence major corporations is the empowering of every citizen. This ignition of autonomy, choice and emancipation that has been seen in basic income pilots worldwide show people making incredible strides forward for themselves, their families and their communities. It creates the power to say no to exploitation and the power to say yes to more sustainable work as well as purchasing habits.

Basic income is the necessary tool we all need to make the required paradigm shift. #BasicIncomeNow

Further links connecting Basic Income and Climate Action
The Guardian - Universal basic income and rewilding can meet Anthropocene demands
Jacobin Magazine - Alive in the Sunshine
Miranda Reid on Basic Income Canada Network - The role of UBI in the fight against climate change