The idea that the climate crisis is diverting global attention and funding away from the eradication of poverty and hunger perpetuates a dangerous misconception of both problems. For millions of the world’s poorest people, climate change is not a future risk but a present reality, exacerbating the vulnerabilities and inequalities that block escape routes from extreme poverty.
Brazil’s experience is instructive. Under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, social protection has played a central role not only in cutting poverty and combating hunger, but also in adapting to climate change. Efforts have been made to export this model through the creation of a Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, which was established under Brazil’s G20 presidency. This international platform could enable donors, MDBs, and UN agencies to pool their resources and channel them through national social-protection systems that respond to climate risks. As an ODI Global report argues, such an approach would help prevent duplication, lower transaction costs, and reduce inefficiencies.
Photo: FAO/Candida Villa-Lobos