The first cash transfer was made in November 2023. A total of 188 people each receive the equivalent of about £2 a day, or about £55 a month. Cool Earth worked with a tech company, AidKit, to facilitate the process, and the pilot will last for two years, with an equivalent of about £245,000 given in total, though the organisation plans to continue the support on an ongoing basis.

Will it help the environment? Hopefully the pilot program will find that out. But, god, that is such a small amount of money and now those 188 people have an easier time eating, educating their kids - I hope it turns out to work so more people get a basic income.

I’m glad it’s working out and people are using the kidney instead of cutting trees to sell the wood. People could still simply continue cutting the wood and thus making a double salary - there’s no conditions to this UBi. I’m glad that it seems that this is not the case, and the results are positive so far.