June 2023 – January 2024 (finished)

STAAR and the Centre for Disaster Protection were commissioned to examine how climate risk insurance payments and other financial instruments could be integrated into social protection systems to assist people and communities in coping with shocks, including climate-related ones.

The study employed a combination of quantitative and qualitative data from desk-based research and interviews with key informants at the global level and in three case study countries. The study looked at whether these approaches were, cost-effective, integrated gender equality and social inclusion considerations and engaged with local actors.

The study addressed evidence gaps on integrating disaster risk finance (DRF) and social protection, and recommendations based on key findings.

August 2023 – August 2023 (finished)

STAAR was commissioned by FCDO to outline the status of international public climate finance going to social protection, focusing on three categories of climate finance providers, bilateral, multilateral development banks and the climate funds.

In the accompanying STAAR report, STAAR consultants propose options for more efficient and targeted use of climate finance for social protection.

The assignment consisted of reviewing existing literature that looks at climate finance and social protection, and assessing the climate finance strategies and portfolios of the major international public climate finance providers.

The connections between climate action and social protection are not yet generally mainstreamed into planning, nor very widely researched and addressed. As set out in STAAR’s theory of change, it is expected that the advice and knowledge shared through the facility should contribute to better alignment across these sectors and ultimately to social protection systems being better able to support climate vulnerability in crisis settings, and among women and girls.

STAAR has recognised a need for climate considerations to be integrated into all (relevant) STAAR activities. And for STAAR to develop an offer focused explicitly on tackling issues at the intersection of climate, social protection and crisis; and climate, social protection and gender. The Climate Lead is expected to take ownership of responding to these twin needs.

April 2024 – March 2025 (finished)

FCDO commissioned STAAR to provide support to the World Bank Sahel Adaptive Social Protection Programme (SASPP) to strengthen the linkages between social protection and climate resilience in productive inclusion activities in the Sahel.

Support was provided through an embedded adviser, tasked with designing a guidance note and working with SASSP team members to apply and implement in the design and delivery of their programmes.

The guidance focused on practical recommendations for programme design and delivery, with specific relevance to Mauritania and Senegal. It included considerations for both urban and rural contexts, while drawing on experiences from other regions.

April 2024 – March 2025 (finished)

FCDO commissioned STAAR to provide support to the World Bank Sahel Adaptive Social Protection Programme (SASPP) to strengthen the linkages between social protection and climate activities in the Sahel.

Support was provided through an embedded adviser to strengthen the integration of climate risk information and early warning systems across the four building blocks of shock-responsive social protection systems. This included efforts to embed climate risk data into social protection targeting and data systems through climate-smart targeting approaches.

Further support focused on enhancing the integration of climate resilience within programme design and delivery systems. This included incorporating climate considerations into productive inclusion activities to ensure that social protection interventions are more adaptive and sustainable in the face of climate risks.