The Pact for the Future – adopted by world leaders at the September 2024 Summit of the Future – is the most comprehensive international agreement in decades, covering entirely new areas while also addressing issues that have long stalled consensus. It aims to equip international institutions to navigate a rapidly changing world. It is a pressing call to strengthen global cooperation and address the multifaceted challenges of our era-from sustainable development and digital governance to peace and security.
The Pact offers multiple entry points for advancing disaster risk reduction (DRR) and resilience-building efforts to accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development alongside the Sendai Framework, and framing global development beyond 2030.
The Pact for the Future makes a clear global commitment to promote a disaster risk- informed approach to sustainable development at the local, national, regional and global levels, and to accelerate progress on integrating disaster risk reduction into policies, programmes and investments at all levels. The representation of DRR in the Pact also ensures that future development initiatives are sustainable and inclusive, safeguard communities and foster long-term resilience.
Numerous actions and commitments are aligned with the recommendations and calls to action reflected in the Midterm Review of the Sendai Framework. They reinforce and build on the commitments from the 2023 SDG Summit Political Declaration to reduce disaster risk, promote resilience, and promote a disaster risk-informed approach to sustainable development.
Protecting the interests of future generations
Declaration on Future Generations
18. Prioritize urgent action to address critical environmental challenges and implement measures to reduce disaster risk and build resilience, reverse the degradation of ecosystems and ensure a clean, healthy and sustainable environment; and reaffirm the importance of accelerating action to address climate change and its adverse impacts, based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities in the light of different national circumstances, noting the importance for some of the concept of “climate justice”.
The Declaration on Future Generations sets out steps to make sure that today's decisions protect the interests of future generations. It is a call to safeguard the future through responsible, inclusive policies.
At the heart of the Declaration is the recognition that the actions-and inactions-of present generations have profound implications for those who will come after us. It is a reminder that leaders today have a responsibility to act with the needs and interests of future generations in mind.
Emphasizing critical areas such as sustainable development, climate action, digital cooperation, and youth inclusion, the Declaration aims to create an equitable, sustainable world that prioritizes peace, security, and human rights for future generations. One important proposal is the appointment an Envoy for Future Generations - someone who would ensure that long-term thinking is embedded in global policies.
The DRR agenda is closely aligned with this approach, focusing on reducing vulnerabilities for future generations by addressing new, emerging and future risks. A future-oriented approach demands the development of policies promoting long-term resilience planning, considering future risks such as climate-induced disasters, and embedding DRR into forward-looking multilateral frameworks - as were proposed in UNDRR's 2022 Global Assessment Report.
Intersections between the Pact and disaster risk reduction
The Pact specifically calls for action around several core DRR priorities:
- Addressing the drivers and root cases of vulnerability
- Strengthening efforts to prevent, anticipate, and mitigate the impact of humanitarian emergencies
- Promoting synergies between climate adaptation, DRR, environmental protection, and nature conservation
- Implementing the Early Warnings for All initiative
- Reforming the international financial architecture, including addressing the specific vulnerabilities of developing countries
- Adopting a holistic approach to development including strengthening institutional capacities, improvement of infrastructure, and the enhancement of community resilience.
An unambiguous appeal for a risk-informed approach
Action 6. We will invest in people to end poverty and strengthen trust and social cohesion…
(g) Promote a disaster risk-informed approach to sustainable development that integrates disaster risk reduction into policies, programmes and investments at all levels.
Within the Pact, DRR has been given specific focus to ensure it remains a central pillar of sustainable development efforts, and a core principle for safeguarding development gains for future generations:
- Investing in people: Poverty and social inequality are underlying factors that exacerbate disaster vulnerability. The Pact urges investment in people, to strengthen social cohesion and build trust. This involves adopting policies that are informed by disaster risk to ensure that development efforts truly enhance community resilience. Resilience must be integrated into development to ensure that any gains are safeguarded for future generations.
- Synergies with adaptation and environmental action: DRR must go hand-in-hand with climate adaptation and wide-ranging sustainability efforts. By aligning DRR strategies with climate adaptation and efforts to restore, protect, conserve and sustainably use the environment, the Pact fosters a unified approach to resilience. This involves incorporating nature-based solutions into disaster planning to tackle structural vulnerabilities, address biodiversity loss, and strengthen resilience against systemic risks.
- Strengthening community resilience: The Pact advocates for holistic development approaches that strengthen both institutional and community resilience. This includes building resilient infrastructure, supporting inclusive community planning, and ensuring that resources reach the most vulnerable populations, enhancing resilience across society.
- Preparedness and Prevention for future disasters: The Pact's emphasis on strategic foresight, climate adaptation, resilient infrastructure, and the prevention of systemic risks provides essential guidance for shaping UNDRR's priorities and strategic focus areas moving forward. This also opens the opportunity to signal a clear narrative on the cost of not investing in prevention and resilience across all areas.
Data and technology at front and centre
Global Digital Compact 45. We commit by 2030 to…
(c) Develop open and accessible data systems to support effective disaster early-warning, early action and crisis response (SDG 3 &11).
Technology and data can be game changers for disaster risk reduction, improving our understanding of hazards, vulnerability and exposure; allowing more precise and proactive planning; and facilitating effective and timely early warning systems.
Leveraging effective data governance frameworks and AI will allow for unprecedented forecasting capabilities, giving communities a better understanding of future risks. Predictive analytics can identify high-risk areas and populations, allowing for targeted interventions that reduce loss of lives and livelihoods.
The "Early Warnings for All" initiative is a central element in the Pact, offering improved early actions in response to natural hazards. Early-warning systems rely on robust data to track weather patterns and hazard indicators, giving communities the lead time needed to evacuate, prepare resources, and minimize disaster impacts.
Resilience at the centre, across the UN system
The Pact calls for stronger coordination across the UN system to address global challenges. System-wide coherence will require a common understanding of the full scope of current and emerging risks, and the governance models required to address them, with DRR playing a central role in safeguarding lives, livelihoods and development gains.
UNDRR’s strategic framework aligns closely with the Pact’s focus on strategic foresight and long-term resilience. By embedding disaster resilience into the SDGs, we can ensure a comprehensive DRR approach leading up to 2030 and beyond.
As part of this drive, UNDRR can help ensure systematic disaster risk reduction efforts globally, through greater coordination across UN agencies. This system-wide DRR strategy promotes coherence in how the UN addresses DRR, ensuring that efforts are unified and comprehensive.
Financing a resilient future
The case for investment in prevention is unequivocal. Financial strategies must adopt a long-term perspective to effectively address pressing global challenges.
- Target those at risk: Those most vulnerable to disasters – such as LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS – are often neglected by current financial structures. International financial architecture must be reformed to make it more responsive and fit for purpose.
- Reshape resource mobilization: The 4th Financing for Development (FfD4) Conference in June 2025 will be a key moment to shape resource mobilization for disaster risk reduction (DRR) through 2030 and beyond. Since the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (2015) emphasized DRR financing for “natural disasters”, the risk landscape has evolved, requiring a broader, more integrated approach.
- Financial architecture for today and tomorrow: Advances in financing mechanisms, highlighted by UNDRR and the Midterm Review of the Sendai Framework, provide an opportunity to establish a resilient financial architecture that meets today’s challenges and future needs, including through innovative and anticipatory financing mechanisms. DRR is a prerequisite for sustainable development and has been proven to be a sound economic decision. Preventing the creation of new risk, reducing existing risk, and increasing preparedness and risk transfer solutions where they cannot be avoided is a key pillar for this architecture. Act now for the Pact of the Future
Extending the reach of resilience
The Pact offers immediate opportunities for broadening the reach of disaster resilience efforts:
- Unpacking and contextualizing the Pact: UNDRR can lead efforts to educate and engage stakeholders – within and beyond the UN system – on the Pact’s DRR dimensions. By building awareness and fostering partnerships, UNDRR can maximize the Pact’s impact, engaging a global lineup of disaster risk stakeholders and partners in follow-up activities and initiatives.
- Alignment with intergovernmental processes: The Pact for the Future is aligned with upcoming global processes including the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, the Second World Summit for Social Development, the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, the Conferences of the Rio Conventions, the Urban Agenda, as well as the 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review. This opens opportunities for DRR in various contexts ––including sustainable finance, climate action, and resilience-building agendas – reinforcing its role in the 2030 Agenda.
- Better coordination: The Pact calls for stronger coordination across the UN system to address global challenges: with its wide-ranging mandate, UNDRR is well positioned to coordinate well-integrated disaster risk management across sectors.
- Long-term foresight: UNDRR will play a critical role in leveraging science, data, and strategic foresight to advance long-term disaster risk reduction and resilience building.
