UNDRR September 2025 newsletter
This is a reproduction of the UNDRR monthly newsletter. Get this update and other newsletters here.
This month from UNDRR: Fund Resilience, Not Disasters: IDDRR 2025 Campaign; Leaders convene in Japan; Climate Summit boost to COP30; Enhancing resilience in the Western Balkans; and much more to explore.
Fund Resilience, Not Disasters: IDDRR 2025 Campaign
The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) will be celebrated globally on 13 October. The campaign theme for 2025, "Fund Resilience, Not Disasters," focuses on the need for a fundamental shift in how the world invests in resilience.
The campaign highlights the startling disparity between the escalating economic costs of disasters- estimated to be over $2.3 trillion annually when indirect costs are considered - and the inadequate levels of investment in reducing disaster risks. To correct this imbalance, the 2025 campaign emphasizes two calls to action:
- Increase funding for DRR, especially in public budgets and international assistance.
- Ensure all public development and private sector investments are risk-informed and resilient.
The campaign concept note outlines key messages and some examples of progress, such as India's projected 50% increase in DRR financing or Guatemala's proposal to integrate DRR into its core economic decision-making bodies.
Download social media cards and templates and post with the hashtags #DRRDay #ResiliencePays. Add your event to the campaign website to share how you are celebrating the day.
Leaders convene in Japan to advance 'Readiness for Resilient Recovery'
Senior officials and experts gathered in Kobe, Japan, in September for the High-Level Policy Dialogue on Resilient Recovery. Co-organised by the International Recovery Platform (IRP), the Government of Japan, UNDRR, and the Asia Disaster Reduction Center, the three-day event marked the 20th anniversary of the IRP and served as a follow-up to the first World Resilient Recovery Conference in June.
Guided by the 10 "Priority Actions to Enhance Readiness for Resilient Recovery," the Dialogue underscored that readiness for resilient recovery must be embedded into policies, financing systems, and institutional arrangements.
Climate Summit boost to COP30 momentum
The 2025 Climate Summit, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), brought together close to 100 countries - including nearly 40 Heads of State and Government - who declared their commitment to new climate targets ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil this November.
SRSG Kamal Kishore noted that investment in resilience was a central theme in New York, in addition to growing momentum around early warnings and heat action, which was the focus of a dedicated High-Level Solutions dialogue ahead of the Summit.
Enhancing resilience in the Western Balkans
A new three-year initiative to enhance disaster and climate resilience across the Western Balkans was officially launched in Tirana, Albania. With support from the Government of Italy, the project is being implemented by UNDRR and partners, focusing on Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Areas of work include improving risk knowledge, risk governance, and early warning systems, while fostering transboundary cooperation.
Tools to prepare companies for crises
The UNDRR-supported Corporate Chief Resilience Officers (CCRO) Network and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) showcased to over 350 participants two complementary resilience tools for businesses: the Resilience Maturity Assessment (ReMA) and the Building Resilience Index (BRI). The webinar included use cases and an invitation to organisations to join the CCRO Network. The recording of the webinar is available online.
Global consultation on disaster statistics
UNDRR and partners launched a global consultation on the draft Global Disaster-Related Statistics Framework (G-DRSF). This framework is crucial for establishing an internationally harmonised method for compiling statistics related to disaster risk, impacts, and risk reduction activities, thus enabling evidence-based policymaking. The consultation is open to all stakeholders until 7 October.
AI for DRR Masterclass Series
The UNDRR Global Education and Training Institute (GETI) kicked off a new Masterclass series on "Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Disaster Risk Reduction." The September sessions covered general AI introduction and applications for Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems. Recordings of the sessions are available to all.
Call for submissions: Global radio for resilience initiative
UNDRR is calling for partners to share good practices that showcase the vital role of radio in strengthening disaster resilience. Submissions may highlight radio as an emergency lifeline, a tool for inclusion, a platform for community dialogue, an avenue for innovation, or a driver of climate resilience.