Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
October 13, 2025 Climate and environment
On the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, celebrated on 13 October, the UN Secretary-General called on the global community to urgently reconsider its approach to financing resilience in the face of the growing climate crisis.
According to the UN chief, the number and scale of natural disasters are rapidly increasing, devastating lives, destroying livelihoods, and undermining years of development efforts. "The magnitude of the damage to the global economy is staggering and, including indirect costs, is estimated at two trillion dollars per year," António Guterres noted.
Despite alarming statistics, the amount of funding allocated to disaster risk reduction remains critically low. Only two percent of international development assistance and less than one percent of government budgets go toward disaster prevention.
“This is not just a funding shortfall – it is a serious miscalculation,” the Secretary-General emphasized, adding that every dollar invested in resilient infrastructure in developing countries saves four dollars when natural disasters strike.
This year's theme for the International Day emphasizes the need to increase investment in resilience. Guterres called on governments and donors to increase funding, and on the public and private sectors to consider risks in their decision-making. "Building resilience to shocks must be at the very core of development efforts," he said.
Concluding his message, the Secretary-General called on the global community to respond to growing threats with increased funding and to work together to build a safer and more just future for all.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.