Disasters are reversing global development. Urgent action is needed to build resilience into every decision we make.

Growing inequities and pressures on the planet are reversing hard-won development gains.

Humanitarian needs are also rising, as disasters and conflict create enormous human suffering.

The UN Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR 2023) highlights how resilience can be strengthened to withstand and respond to shocks. This includes investments in early warning systems where the benefits triple in vulnerable contexts because of their proven ability to reduce damage.
Mapping resilience deficits and showcasing positive actions

The maps in this report highlight a number of these resilience deficits that are holding back achievement of key Sustainable Development Goals.

The report’s action case examples show that this is not inevitable, and how action is possible on every continent to stop the worsening spiral of risk and disasters and to accelerate SDG target achievement.
Resilience deficit: People

The number of recorded disasters has increased fivefold over the past 50 years and this trend is accelerating. Exposure is increasing in countries where there is already a large number of people affected by disasters.
Early warnings for all

Provided risk reduction measures are taken, increased exposure does not necessarily need to result in increasing casualties and economic costs. Early-warning systems (EWS) are already proving themselves effective in reducing the impact of hazards.

62 million people directly affected by disaster in the last two decades live in countries without operational EWS. This means that without increased investment in resilience-building through extending early-warning-system coverage, developing countries are projected to have higher numbers of people affected by hazards as population growth continues.

Fortunately most of the countries with the greatest exposure to hazards already have early warning systems. These systems are already proving themselves effective in reducing the impact of hazards. However, even in places where early warning systems are in place, many have gaps , which need to be urgently addressed.

The United Nations Secretary-General launched the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) Initiative in 2022, to ensure the whole world is covered by an EWS by the end of 2027. To save lives and livelihoods, EWSs need to be multi-hazard and connected to early action.