Basic Income Earth

It’s happening! The countdown to the 2026 BIEN Congress, landing in Philadelphia 27–29 July, has officially begun.

Italy's basic income debate is back on the political agenda. Parties in the centre-left alliance, including Italia Viva, are open to a renewed income support scheme to tackle poverty. The proposal aims to revisit the former Citizens' Income. Read more: zurl.co/MHCYJ

Guaranteed income is gaining ground in the US, not just through pilots, but at the ballot box. The latest elections saw five members of Mayors and Counties for a Guaranteed Income network win higher office. Baltimore voters also approved a new Baby Fund. zurl.co/mShX3

EXPLORE BASIC INCOME IN BRAZIL: How has Brazil shaped the global debate on basic income? We’re highlighting three books that explore different perspectives on income redistribution, citizenship, and alternative economic models. Interested? Click Here: zurl.co/tSeXw

India’s AI employment paradox: More technology, but more opportunities for whom? Artificial intelligence promises new possibilities for innovation, productivity and economic growth. At the same time, it raises difficult questions about the future of work. zurl.co/1BqhI

Can basic income help us share AI's gains? As artificial intelligence transforms the world of work, it could also deepen economic inequality, concentrating wealth among those who own and control the technology. Read the full article here: zurl.co/BN7GD

📢 The 33rd UBI Piloters Network newsletter is out! This edition looks at Conservation Basic Income, supporting Indigenous autonomy and rainforest protection, celebrating 18 years of basic income in Brazil, and more. Read the newsletter: zurl.co/NibLb

As the cost of living rises, more Americans are asking a simple question: why shouldn't people have a guaranteed income floor? At a campaign event in Detroit, voters supported guaranteed income programmes, citing rising prices and cuts to social support. zurl.co/v3xds

Can basic income revive rural communities? 🇰🇷 President Lee Jae Myung has visited North Gyeongsang Province to see how the rural basic income pilot is working. The programme is now running in 17 of the country's 69 designated population-decline counties. zurl.co/WLDRG

Africa is rich in resources, yet millions of its people struggle to meet their basic needs. What if everyone received a regular share of that wealth? People would have the security to buy food, access opportunities, support families and plan long-term: zurl.co/PcZ8J

Good ideas need good strategies. Building support for basic income takes more than winning people over to the idea. It requires building lasting political alliances, navigating disagreements and being prepared to turn opportunities into real policy change.

As technology changes work, how do we guarantee everyone an income floor? South Korea is exploring a basic income-style pilot for young people, responding to concerns that AI-driven job losses could leave gaps in existing social protection. zurl.co/uDnmY

What happens when an entire country receives basic income? Since November 2025, the Marshall Islands have been running a nationwide UBI programme, providing every enrolled citizen, including children, with quarterly payments of around $200. Full article: zurl.co/IrpEy

A universal basic income is not just a way to redistribute money. It invites us to rethink what we owe one another as members of society, and what we need to build a society in which everyone can live with dignity, security, and freedom

Who should share in the wealth AI creates? The AI Pledge for Humanity has surpassed 1,000 signers across 50+ countries, including Nobel laureate Vernon Smith, Andrew Yang, Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz and basic income scholar Guy Standing. zurl.co/PQerg

40 years of BIEN | The Third Decade Between 2006 and 2016, BIEN entered its third decade as the basic income movement grew more global. Debate moved beyond theory, with pilot projects putting unconditional cash payments into practice. Read full story: zurl.co/n8u4h

A Universal Basic Income proposal might be on the table in New Zealand! The Opportunity Party is campaigning for a major tax reset built around a Citizen’s Income, a regular payment of up to NZ$370 per week for almost all adults. Read the proposal here: zurl.co/IyJZN

Basic income is about more than money. It’s about the power to say no. Karl Widerquist argues that freedom means having real control over whether to cooperate with others, rather than being forced into cooperation by economic necessity.

BIEN Piloters Network. Join us for the first seminar: Life Cycle of a Basic Income Pilot: Lessons from Design to Final Report! How do you design, implement, and evaluate a basic income pilot? Register now and find more information here: zurl.co/ThA9a

Young people need opportunities and income security while they work towards them. ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has backed a basic income grant for young South Africans who leave school without matric, as youth unemployment reaches 47.4%. zurl.co/uBW2U

What changes when we stop judging people in poverty and trust them with cash? Alameda’s Rise Up pilot gave 150 low-income households $1,000 month for two years, unconditionally. They reported better mental health, greater savings and less reliance on debt. zurl.co/MVw2e