World Social Protection Report 2024–26

  

The World Social Protection Report 2024–26 provides a comprehensive global update on social protection status, highlighting for the first time that over half the global population (52.4%) is now covered by at least one benefit. Despite this milestone, the report reveals a stark reality: 3.8 billion people remain entirely unprotected, especially in countries most vulnerable to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Focusing on the exigency of a just transition, the report illustrates how universal social protection acts as a pivotal policy lever to enable climate action, cushion against the adverse effects of environmental policies, and build resilient systems that protect populations from both life-cycle and climate-related risks. By identifying critical financing and protection gaps, it sets forth actionable recommendations to achieve universal coverage by 2030 and ensure a fairer, greener future for all.