Utilizing basic income to create a sustainable, poverty-free tomorrow

Summary: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic of 2020 was a reminder of society’s vulnerability in the face of natural upheavals, leading to widespread unemployment and increased poverty. Simultaneously, human activities have precipitated large-scale environmental degradation and catastrophic climate change. Here, we conduct a global-scale, 186-country analysis examining the potential impact of basic income (BI) as a two-pronged solution to both sustainability and social resilience. We reveal BI’s potential to bolster economies, particularly in times of crisis. To lower the huge barrier imposed by implementation costs, we suggest a diverse array of strategies aimed at financing BI, strategically designed to concurrently alleviate economic insecurity while fostering nature conservation. We suggest that BI implementation is feasible and could be a potent tool in addressing the twin challenges of decreasing worldwide poverty while reducing environmental degradation—a nexus that arguably constitutes the paramount global challenge of our times. Science for society: Basic income (BI) involves unconditional, regular cash disbursements to either a segment or to the total population. In this study, the authors conduct a global analysis examining the potential impact of BI as a two-pronged solution to both environmental sustainability and social resilience. The authors show that BI can potentially bolster economies. To lower BI implementation costs, the authors suggest a range of strategies aimed at financing BI, strategically designed to concurrently alleviate economic insecurity while fostering nature conservation. The authors argue that BI implementation is feasible and could be a potent tool in addressing the twin challenges of decreasing worldwide poverty while reducing environmental degradation