Resilience is not optional: Why disaster risk reduction must anchor the G20 agenda

WHEN the G20 Summit convenes in South Africa, the world's leaders will gather under the theme of Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability. These are powerful ideals, yet they cannot be realised without tackling one of the most pressing global challenges of our time, the rising cost and frequency of disasters.

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Over the past 50 years, the global economic toll of disasters has nearly tripled. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction confirms that global disaster losses have intensified in recent years, exceeding US$2 trillion a year, when accounting for cascading and ecosystem costs.

These figures are not just statistics; they represent lives disrupted, livelihoods lost, and futures deferred.

This escalation in disasters - from floods and fires to droughts and storms - reflects an increasingly volatile risk landscape.

Higher costs mean greater pressure on governments, communities, and businesses, as well as on insurers who provide the financial mechanisms that help societies recover.

For South Africa, as in many developing economies, the challenge is amplified by infrastructure weaknesses and socioeconomic disparities that leave communities more vulnerable when disaster strikes.

This is why disaster risk reduction must become a focal point in global economic dialogue. It requires coordinated international action - through knowledge sharing, technology transfer and capacity building - to ensure that developing and least-developed countries are not left behind.

South Africa has long supported this approach, and the private sector has a critical role to play in making it tangible.