Enhance infrastructure resilience

UNDRR supports governments and other stakeholders in identifying infrastructure vulnerabilities and implementing resilience building solutions

Our society is heavily dependent on the effective and efficient operation of critical infrastructure systems, such as energy and water, to deliver public services, enrich living standards, and stimulate economic growth.

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction calls for reducing disaster damage and service disruptions, while SDG 9 urges countries to build resilient infrastructure.

Building resilient infrastructure is essential not only for new construction, but also for upgrading existing assets and ensuring resilient recovery. Indeed, rebuilding stronger and more-adaptable infrastructure after a disaster is essential to reducing risks and safeguarding long-term development.

Building resilience into infrastructure adds only about 3 percent to total investment costs, an amount easily offset by the long-term benefits of reduced losses and uninterrupted services.

UNDRR supports countries with trusted knowledge and inclusive resilience approaches to ensure risk considerations are embedded in every stage of the infrastructure lifecycle.

To do this, UNDRR focuses on the following areas:

Supporting countries to integrate resilience into decision-making and improve infrastructure management ;
Assisting governments in strengthening their national and local regulatory frameworks;
Assessing the vulnerability, inter-dependency and exposure to disaster risks of infrastructure systems ; and,
Accelerating financing for resilient infrastructure and improving the effectiveness .

At the country level, this work is being delivered through collaboration with renowned experts, local practitioners and international partners, such as the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)

Supporting countries to integrate resilience into decision-making and improve infrastructure management

Country-level work

Dam, Mangdechhu Hydropower Plant, Bhutan

Bhutan: Protecting hydropower and water from climate and other risks

Madagascar: Improving Infrastructure Resilience to Reduce Climate-Related Economic Losses

Tonga: Building infrastructure resilience in an isolated, hazardous world

Chile: Strengthening infrastructure resilience to face existing and emerging hazards

Assisting governments in strengthening their national and local regulatory frameworks;

Call to action

Policymakers have a range of options to advance resilient infrastructure:

Adopting global standards and approaches, such as the Principles for Resilient Infrastructure, that integrate resilience into infrastructure planning, management and financing;
Ensuring accurate measurement and monitoring of the exposure and vulnerability of infrastructure systems
Making risk-informed decisions on infrastructure investments;
Allocating sufficient budgetary resources to disaster risk reduction measures;
Identifying a pipeline of resilient infrastructure projects.

Assessing the vulnerability, inter-dependency and exposure to disaster risks of infrastructure systems

Guidance and technical resources

Foundational mandate for: National policy leaders, UN agencies, & global institutions

Principles for resilient infrastructure

The Principles for Resilient Infrastructure have been developed in consultation with 100+ countries and a wide range of stakeholders. These principles set an understanding of what “resilient infrastructure” constitutes; form the basis for planning and implementation of infrastructure projects that take resilience as a core value; and assist the public and private sectors in making risk-informed policy and investment decisions

Start here: Read the core principles for resilient infrastructure

Toolkit for: Policymakers, regulators, and designers

Handbook for implementing the principles for resilient infrastructure

The Handbook translate the Principles into specific guidance tailored to different stakeholder groups (e.g., policymakers, infrastructure regulators, investors, designers, contractors, civil society, etc.). It also includes key performance indicators. As such, the Handbook provides a framework by which countries can benchmark their own performance in terms of infrastructure resilience policies and practices.

Implementation guide: Get the stakeholder handbook with KPIs

Assessment framework for: National governments, infrastructure agencies, & development banks

Global methodology for infrastructure resilience review

This methodology, developed by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), aims to support countries in assessing the current state of infrastructure resilience, so that areas of improvement are identified, and actions taken. This global approach helps to establish a common understanding of DRR policies, regulations and processes.

Download the methodology for infrastructure resilience

Technical toolkit for water sector stakeholders: Deep-dive guidance

Guidance for the water sector

This guidance as part of the Global Methodology for Infrastructure Resilience Review provides a comprehensive guide to conducting a detailed assessment of the water sector, including wastewater. The deep-dive on the water sector is intended to draw out deeper, qualitative inputs from water-sector stakeholders to inform resilience-building activities and needs.

Get the sector guide: Water resilience deep dive

Infrastructure stress testing

Stress testing exercises should become a common practice and account for a ‘system’ approach. In this context, UNDRR has developed a tool for users to assess infrastructure vulnerabilities and better understand the inter-dependencies and linkages between infrastructure assets and systems.

Real-Estate resilience tool

Developed in partnership with the private sector, the Tool will assist with strategic decision-making that drives greater resilience in business operations and assets. It is considered an advocacy tool to achieve change in the real estate sector and its industry practices at various stages.