Unconditional basic income pilot in Peruvian Amazon linked to rainforest protection, study finds

Summary

A pioneering project giving Indigenous people in the Peruvian Amazon an unconditional basic income of about £2 a day has contributed to protecting the rainforest, according to a study by the University of Bath. Researchers say almost 90% of participants adopted environmentally beneficial practices. The analysis is expected to feed a growing debate about the role of direct payments to communities that maintain globally important ecosystems.

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   20 Oct 2026, 12:00 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that a University of Bath study finds an unconditional basic income pilot for Indigenous people in the Peruvian Amazon, paying about £2 a day, contributed to rainforest protection, with almost 90% of participants adopting environmentally beneficial practices.