Podcast: Integrating climate resilience into anti-poverty programmes

In a Tong Alaap discussion, Robin Burgess (LSE) and Rohini Kamal (BIGD) reflect on lessons from BRAC’s Ultra-Poor Graduation (UPG) programme and its evolution from a poverty-alleviation initiative to a model incorporating climate resilience. Drawing on long-term research in Bangladesh, Burgess highlights how environmental shocks - such as extreme weather - shape poverty dynamics and the need to adapt programmes accordingly.

The conversation emphasises that combining asset transfers, training, and diversified livelihoods can help households better withstand climate risks, while new tools such as satellite data improve the targeting of interventions.

The speakers also stress the importance of complementary conditions - such as government support, insurance awareness, and context-specific design (including for urban settings) - to ensure long-term effectiveness. 

Overall, the discussion underscores how integrating climate adaptation into social protection programmes can sustain poverty reduction in increasingly vulnerable environments.