Basic Income Pilot Boosts Amazon Rainforest Protection and Community Well-Being in Peru

A two-year pilot project in the Peruvian Amazon provided unconditional basic income to 211 Indigenous individuals, leading to nearly 90% adopting environmentally beneficial practices, according to an October 20, 2026, analysis by the University of Bath[1][3][6]. This initiative, managed by the UK-based climate charity Cool Earth, offered daily cash transfers to residents across three Asháninka and Yanesha communities[1][6].

This project represents a direct link between financial stability for Indigenous peoples and the preservation of critical ecosystems. The model suggests a replicable approach for climate action and community empowerment worldwide[11].

What the records show

The University of Bath's analysis, released on October 20, 2026, details the pilot's impact on 211 individuals across three Asháninka and Yanesha communities[3][6]. It found nearly 90% of participants adopted environmentally beneficial practices, with 87% actively joining collective actions like native reforestation and reducing forest burning[3][5]. Food insecurity decreased significantly, with households unable to afford nutritious food dropping from 73% to 26%[7]. The share of participants forced into precarious external labor fell from 43% to 18%[8]. Economic stability increased, with 70% of households saving money, up from 49%[9]. Community cohesion also improved, with 85% reporting empowered local leadership[10]. Self-reported well-being scores more than doubled[10]. The cash transfers amounted to approximately £2 a day[6].

The timeline

The pilot program began its first cash transfer in November 2023[2]. The comprehensive analysis of the project's results was released on October 20, 2026, by the University of Bath[3].

What changed and for whom

For the Asháninka and Yanesha communities involved, the basic income led to significant improvements in daily life and environmental stewardship[1][6]. Participants planted native trees, protected natural springs, and constructed organic waste pits, moving away from forest-clearing by burning[5]. The financial security provided by the cash transfers reduced the need for precarious external labor, allowing more individuals to dedicate time to their farms, families, and community initiatives[8][9]. Households saw major gains in housing quality, sanitation, energy access, and asset ownership[9]. Isabel Felandro, Cool Earth's Head of Programmes, stated that providing basic income offers an alternative to the unsustainable activities often driven by poverty[7].

What the subject has said publicly

Cool Earth plans to adopt and replicate this pilot model as part of its ongoing work[11]. The charity intends to collaborate with new communities in the central Amazon region of Peru, hoping that this model will be replicated and scaled globally[11]. The analysis suggests that the combination of cash transfers and community-based training significantly contributed to improved household welfare, Indigenous autonomy, and environmental stewardship[11].

What we could not confirm

Details regarding the long-term funding mechanisms for expanding this basic income model beyond the initial pilot phase were not specified in the available records.