Guaranteed income as an anticipatory action for climate change and disaster preparedness in the US

This Perspective Article presents the Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation Model (VSAM) as an analytical framework for assessing Guaranteed Income (GI) as a potential Anticipatory Action (AA) instrument for climate change and disaster intervention in the United States (US). GI is understood here as a recurring, unrestricted cash transfer program, meaning recipients can use the money according to household priorities rather than for a designated category (e.g., food, housing, or utilities). GI programs in the US often target specific at-risk populations and have some form of income eligibility requirement. AA refers to actions taken before a predicted hazardous event to prevent or reduce harm to lives and livelihoods [Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance]. We examine existing climate relief strategies in the US to understand how pre-existing, policy-shaped economic and political vulnerabilities shape household-level adaptive capabilities in response to stressful situations. As GI is positioned here as a household-level intervention, this Perspective Article focuses on adaptation and disaster relief policies that compound pre-existing household vulnerability.