Professor Rob Case Photo credit: Rob Case
Today, I’m joined by Rob Case, Associate Professor in Development Studies at Rennison University College in Waterloo, Ontario. We’re discussing how an unconditional, Universal Standard of Living (USL) — or, Universal Basic Income (UBI) — can be a social and environmental disruptor.
Case worked on the Green Resilience Project while it was active. His focus is community-based, environmental activism as well as community organizing, social policy and social ecology.
The current climate crisis is a driving force behind the need for climate stability and that means we need to re-think policy approaches to reflect and promote economic wellbeing and resilience for communities, families and individuals.
The Green Resilience Project brought together individuals and organizations working within the realm of climate change and income security to provide those who are often left out of policy discussions and decisions a voice when it comes to answering essential questions like:
How could a UBI help alleviate fears and uncertainties around shifting from a fossil fuel driven to a green economy?
Could a UBI help support the transition to a low-carbon economy creating local self-reliance?
What are the environmental implications of a UBI?
How can we improve the collection of empirical data around climate change impacts on an individual’s ability to earn?
What role could a UBI play as a safety net in the context of the climate emergency? Specifically could it proactively help facilitate the shift to alternative green energies and do it in an accelerated way that helps us avoid climate catastrophes?
Or, could a UBI help the economy transition away from the idea that there needs to be continuous economic growth despite the overwhelming evidence that this leads to inequalities on so many financial and social levels?
Case touches on many of these important issues while also looking at how a UBI can give folks the time and energy needed to participate in community whether that takes the form of greening their community, direct climate action, or contributing to the local arts scene.
We know that poverty inequality leads to inefficiencies on so many levels, so perhaps a UBI could be the means to level the field when it comes to the environment.
Have a listen to our conversation and then check out these resources:
North Shore Tribunal Council Survey
Jessie Golem’s photography project, Humans of Basic Income
The Manitoba Story documentary — Dauphin Manitoba 1970’s BI pilot
A Human Picture documentary — Ontario BI Pilot 2017 - 2019
Ontario Basic Income Report from McMaster, Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction and Hamilton Community Foundation
John Clarke, Ontario anti-poverty activist
Basic Income Canada Youth Network
The Energy Mix — a community news site and e-gest about climate change, energy and the shift off of carbon.
Music: Real Estate by UNIVERSFIELD is licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License. freemusicarchive.org.
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