This working paper underscores the necessity of channeling climate funds through existing social protection (SP) systems to enhance efficiency, scalability, and rapid support for vulnerable populations. SP frameworks currently encompass 4.7 billion individuals globally and can expedite fund distribution within weeks via digital registries and payment infrastructure. This capacity was evident during the COVID-19 response and in Niger, where an early-warning mechanism enabled aid delivery four months earlier than conventional humanitarian efforts. The Sahel Adaptive Social Protection Program (SASPP) demonstrates that SP systems effectively provide both routine and emergency assistance, reaching over 5 million individuals in the Sahel in 2023, including 1.2 million recipients of shock-responsive cash transfers. Adaptive social protection yields a “triple dividend” by facilitating short-term coping strategies, strengthening long-term resilience, and fostering economic inclusion. In Niger, SASPP’s productive-inclusion measures elevated per-capita consumption by 60–100%. Aligning climate financing with SP systems offers a pragmatic approach to expand coverage, expedite aid distribution, and enhance climate adaptation, particularly in fragile and climate-exposed regions.
https://www.cgap.org/research/publication/building-climate-resilience-scale-in-sahel