19.3 Emerging social risks and new forms of vulnerability

As societies evolve, new social risks emerge, challenging traditional welfare systems. From precarious employment to digital exclusion, these risks create vulnerabilities that older policies struggle to address. The changing landscape demands innovative solutions to protect citizens in an increasingly complex world.

Policymakers are exploring universal and portable solutions like UBI and targeted interventions for specific risks. Holistic approaches, such as the Green New Deal, aim to tackle multiple challenges simultaneously. These new strategies seek to create more flexible and comprehensive social protection systems for the future.

Emerging Social Risks

New Challenges in Post-Industrial Societies

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• New social risks arise from post-industrial economic and social changes that traditional welfare systems struggle to address adequately
• Precarious employment encompasses non-standard work arrangements characterized by job insecurity, low wages, and limited social protections (zero-hour contracts, temporary work)
• Housing insecurity involves difficulties accessing affordable, stable, and adequate housing due to rising costs, gentrification, and limited social housing options
• Digital exclusion creates barriers to education, employment, and social participation in an increasingly digital society
  • Lack of access to broadband internet
  • Limited digital literacy skills
  • Inability to afford necessary devices (computers, smartphones)

Emerging Economic and Environmental Vulnerabilities

• Gig economy and platform work introduce new forms of employment outside traditional labor protections and social security systems (Uber, TaskRabbit)
• Climate change-induced displacement and environmental risks significantly affect vulnerable populations
  • Coastal communities facing rising sea levels
  • Agricultural workers impacted by changing weather patterns
• Demographic shifts create new care-related risks and strain existing social support systems
  • Aging populations requiring increased healthcare and long-term care
  • Changing family structures leading to fewer informal caregivers

Limitations of Traditional Policy

Outdated Frameworks and Models

• Traditional social policy frameworks primarily address risks associated with industrial societies (unemployment, old age, illness)
• Male breadwinner model underpinning many welfare systems becomes increasingly outdated as gender roles and family structures change
• Existing social insurance schemes often fail to provide adequate coverage for non-standard workers (gig economy, part-time employment)
• Territorial nature of many social policies creates challenges in addressing needs of mobile populations and transnational social issues
  • Migrant workers facing gaps in social protection
  • Cross-border healthcare access issues

Inflexibility and Inadequacy

• Traditional frameworks struggle to adapt to rapid pace of technological change and its impacts on labor markets and social interactions
• Means-tested benefits and categorical approaches to social assistance may not effectively capture complex and fluid nature of new social risks
  • Income fluctuations in gig work making eligibility determinations challenging
  • Intersectionality of risks not adequately addressed by siloed benefit systems
• Focus on passive income support in many traditional systems fails to address need for active labor market policies and skills development in a changing economy
  • Lack of emphasis on retraining and upskilling programs
  • Limited support for entrepreneurship and self-employment

Innovative Policy Approaches

Universal and Portable Solutions

• Universal Basic Income (UBI) proposals aim to provide a guaranteed income floor, potentially addressing insecurity across various forms of employment and life situations
  • Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend as a partial UBI example
  • Pilot programs in Finland and Canada testing UBI concepts
• Portable benefits systems seek to detach social protections from specific employers, allowing workers to maintain coverage as they move between jobs or work arrangements
  • Individual Security Accounts for accumulating benefits
  • Multi-employer benefit plans in certain industries (construction, entertainment)

Targeted Interventions for New Risks

• Digital inclusion policies focus on expanding broadband access, promoting digital literacy, and ensuring accessibility of essential online services
  • Municipal broadband initiatives
  • Digital skills training programs for older adults and disadvantaged groups
• Housing-first approaches and social housing innovations aim to address housing insecurity by prioritizing stable housing as a foundation for addressing other social needs
  • Rapid rehousing programs for homeless individuals
  • Community land trusts to ensure long-term housing affordability
• Lifelong learning initiatives and skills guarantee programs support continuous adaptation to changing labor market demands
  • Individual Learning Accounts
  • Modular, stackable credentials for flexible skill acquisition

Holistic and Participatory Approaches

• Green New Deal proposals integrate environmental sustainability with social protection, addressing both climate risks and economic insecurity
  • Job creation in renewable energy sectors
  • Energy-efficient housing retrofits combining employment and housing security goals
• Participatory policy-making approaches involve affected communities in designing and implementing solutions to new social risks
  • Citizens' assemblies on climate change policy
  • Co-production of social services with service users
• Cross-sectoral collaborations between government, private sector, and civil society organizations develop more comprehensive and flexible social protection systems
  • Public-private partnerships for digital skills training
  • Social impact bonds financing innovative social interventions