Coverage or intensity of support? Adaptive social protection to reduce disaster-related poverty

This paper outlines a global assessment of how adaptive social protection can reduce disaster‑related poverty by analysing the balance between expanding coverage and increasing the intensity of support across 131 countries. It quantifies disaster‑induced poverty risks—showing that 25.6 million people face poverty due to natural hazards—and evaluates how different policy choices influence socio‑economic resilience, particularly for low‑income populations. 

The paper recommends prioritising higher‑intensity support targeted at poorer households as the most effective strategy to mitigate disaster impacts, while noting that early expansions in coverage yield greater benefits in lower‑income countries. It highlights the need for countries to tailor adaptive social protection measures to their income levels and risk profiles, and encourages integrating social protection with climate and disaster risk management systems to strengthen resilience.