Sendai Framework data shows both progress and persistent gaps in reducing disaster risk
2026/09/24, Bonn, Germany
Eleven years after the adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction , officially reported data by national governments through the Sendai Framework Monitor show significant progress in reducing disaster mortality, strengthening disaster risk reduction strategies and expanding multi-hazard early warning systems. Yet the data also reveal persistent challenges: the rate of people affected by disasters has doubled, reported direct economic losses exceeded US$1 trillion over the past decade, and damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of essential services remain substantial.
Progress is real, but disaster impacts remain stubbornly high
The latest data point to a mixed global picture. Progress is particularly visible in reducing mortality, strengthening disaster risk governance and expanding early warning systems. At the same time, trends in affected populations, economic losses and infrastructure damage demonstrate the scale of the remaining challenge.
Average disaster mortality fell by 65 per cent, from 2.12 deaths per 100,000 people in 2005–2014 to 0.75 in 2016–2025. The number of countries reporting national disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies has risen from 56 in 2015 to 151, while 128 countries now report having multi-hazard early warning systems, compared with 55 in 2015. At the same time, the rate of people affected by disasters increased from 1,227 to 2,449 per 100,000 people between the two periods. Around 100 million people were affected by disasters each year on average during 2016–2025, while countries reported more than US$1 trillion in direct economic losses, which when combined with indirect losses, reaches 2.3 trillion in a single year.
| Sendai Framework target | Change since 2015 | What the evidence shows |
| [The figures below are based on official data reported by countries through the Sendai Framework Monitor; reporting completeness varies across countries, targets and years] | ||
| Target A – Reduce disaster mortality | 65% reduction | Average mortality fell from 2.12 per 100,000 people in 2005-2014 to 0.75 in 2016-2025. Disasters nevertheless claimed an average of 37,900 lives annually over the past decade. |
| Target B – Reduce the number of affected people | 100% increase | The rate increased from 1,227 to 2,449 people affected per 100,000 between the two periods. Around 100 million people were affected each year on average. |
| Target C – Reduce direct economic losses | >US$1 trillion | Reported direct economic losses in 2016-2025 exceeded US$1 trillion, equivalent to more than 0.3% of the combined GDP of reporting countries. |
| Target D – Reduce damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services | 92,947 units damaged or destroyed annually | Countries reported 92,947 damaged or destroyed critical infrastructure units or facilities and more than 1.6 million disruptions to basic services per year in 2016-2025. |
| Target E – Increase the number of national and local DRR strategies | 151 national strategies | The number of countries reporting national DRR strategies rose from 56 in 2015 to 151. In addition, 121 countries report local strategies, covering an average of 72% of local governments. |
| Target F – Enhance international cooperation to developing countries | Financial flows of US$ 737 million in 2025 | Reported cooperation in 2015-2025 also includes around 2,000 science, technology and innovation programmes and initiatives, 1,600 initiatives strengthening DRR statistics, and more than 34,000 instances of capacity development. |
| Target G – Increase access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information | 128 countries report MHEWS | The number increased from 55 countries in 2015. However, 62 countries rate system effectiveness as limited to moderate, showing that coverage does not necessarily mean effective end-to-end warning services. |
Global averages mask stark disparities
Countries in special situations continue to bear a disproportionate share of disaster impacts. Least developed countries (LDCs) account for about 12 per cent of the population of reporting countries but 28.7 per cent of reported disaster mortality. Landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) account for only 5.1 per cent of the population but 20.8 per cent of reported mortality.
Average disaster mortality rates are also well above the global rate of 0.75 per 100,000 people: 1.76 in LDCs, 2.80 in small island developing States (SIDS) and 3.36 in LLDCs.
These disparities show how global averages can mask much higher levels of risk in countries with particular vulnerabilities and constrained capacities. They reinforce the importance of locally led risk reduction and of directing finance and technical support towards countries facing high levels of risk and limited capacity to absorb shocks.
The data behind the global picture
The Sendai Framework Monitor is the official global mechanism for tracking progress against the seven targets of the Sendai Framework. As of April 2026, 176 countries report through the SFM. Of these, 87 report across all seven Sendai Framework targets, 118 report on all five targets linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and 84 report sex-, age- and disability-disaggregated data.
Together, these submissions provide an increasingly comprehensive picture of disaster mortality, affected populations, economic losses, damage to critical infrastructure, risk governance, international cooperation and early warning systems.
The SFM was designed not only to measure progress globally but also to help countries understand where progress is being made, where challenges remain and where further action is needed.
Turning data into evidence for global and national action
The value of SFM extends far beyond reporting. Country submissions provide the official data for 11 disaster-related indicators across Sustainable Development Goals 1, 11 and 13. They inform the Secretary-General's reports on disaster risk reduction , the Sustainable Development Goals including the SDG Report 2026 , the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS , and inform the targets and indicators under the Global Goal on Adaptation .
At regional and national levels, SFM data helps identify risk trends, supports evidence-based policymaking, informs disaster risk reduction strategies, and strengthens investment decisions. The reporting process can also strengthen coordination among disaster risk management authorities, national statistical offices and sectoral ministries, helping countries build more coherent national systems for disaster risk information and monitoring.
Closing reporting gaps
While global reporting coverage has increased significantly since 2015, important gaps remain. Comprehensive reporting across all Sendai Framework targets is still uneven. Only 87 countries currently report across all seven targets, and 84 report sex-, age- and disability-disaggregated data. These gaps constrain understanding how disaster impacts differ across population groups and locations. More complete, timely and disaggregated reporting is essential to identify who is most at risk, design better-targeted policies and ensure that risk reduction leaves no one behind.
From monitoring to action
The SFM is increasingly connected to broader efforts to strengthen disaster risk information and translate evidence into action.
Through DELTA Resilience , UNDRR’s new global initiative for disaster loss and damage tracking and analysis, countries are being supported to strengthen national disaster data ecosystems and improve the collection of disaster data that underpin reporting on Sendai Targets A to D. By enhancing data quality, interoperability and national ownership, DELTA Resilience is helping countries build stronger foundations for both reporting and decision-making.
Similarly, SFM reporting on Target E supports efforts to strengthen disaster risk governance and climate-resilient development. Information on national and local disaster risk reduction strategies inform technical assistance to countries through the comprehensive risk management approach and helps identify opportunities to further strengthen risk-informed planning and implementation.
Target G has become increasingly important in the context of the Early Warnings for All initiative. As countries continue to invest in strengthening early warning systems, SFM provides a globally agreed framework for monitoring progress on multi-hazard early warning systems, identifying gaps and demonstrating achievements. Improved reporting on Target G is therefore critical not only for measuring progress under the Sendai Framework, but also for supporting the achievement of ambitious objective of ensuring that every person on this planet is covered by actionable early warning systems by 2027.
Accelerating progress towards 2030
The latest SFM data shows that disaster risk can be reduced – but progress remains uneven. Falling mortality, stronger risk governance and expanding early warning systems demonstrate what sustained action can achieve. At the same time, rising numbers of affected people and continuing economic and infrastructure losses underline the scale of the challenge ahead.
With 2030 approaching, the priority is to translate better risk data into faster implementation, stronger prevention, risk-informed investment, and effective early warning for everyone.