COP31 Sets Out UN Plan to Unlock Over $3 Billion for Disaster Risk Financing by 2030

OCHA and UNICEF secured insurance policies for their anticipatory action programmes before the platform’s public launch, providing an early example of what cooperation between agencies can deliver.

The United Nations today launched an initiative at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, seeking access to more than US$3 billion in risk financing to protect 75 million people and their livelihoods by 2030. Called the UN Disaster Risk Financing (DRF) Platform, the initiative brings six UN agencies together to help communities prepare for climate shocks and natural hazards with financial support arranged before emergencies happen. It will focus on making disaster response funding more predictable, expanding the money available for early action during major crises, and helping available resources reach more people.

The participating agencies are the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Organization for Migration (IOM), UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and World Food Programme (WFP). Through shared expertise, pooled data, and jointly developed solutions, these organizations will expand their use of pre-arranged financing to support people exposed to disasters. Each agency will retain control of its programmes and operations, with the platform providing a way to coordinate financial protection around shared needs.

Pre-arranged financing accounts for less than two per cent of global humanitarian financing, leaving a substantial gap between the funding available in advance and the protection communities need. Bringing the agencies' knowledge and resources together offers an opportunity to expand this support and make funding more dependable when a crisis threatens. The initiative connects that effort with private sector support, with the intention of making every dollar go further and strengthening communities' resilience to future shocks.

Turning early warnings into action that protects livelihoods

Reliable data and predictive analysis will be combined with financing to help governments and humanitarian agencies act on early warnings before disasters cause widespread harm. Having money arranged in advance can support anticipatory action, giving agencies greater capacity to help people protect their homes, food, and sources of income before a hazard strikes. This approach is designed to strengthen emergency responses before, during, and after disasters, connecting early preparation with support as people face the consequences.

Insurance agreements deliver the platform's first results

OCHA and UNICEF secured insurance policies for their anticipatory action programmes before the platform's public launch, providing an early example of what cooperation between agencies can deliver. Specialist insurance teams from WFP supported those agreements, helping establish a financial safety net that can extend assistance to more people before disasters strike. IOM will contribute expertise in displacement risk analysis and anticipatory action, helping the partnership address the needs of communities whose homes and livelihoods could be threatened by displacement.

Working with financial markets to expand protection

Cooperation with the insurance industry and financial markets will be central to reducing costs as the agencies expand disaster risk financing to reach more people. Coordinating their efforts gives participating organizations a way to use available funding more efficiently and draw on private sector support to increase its impact. The platform's 2030 ambition links access to more than US$3 billion with protection for 75 million people and their livelihoods, putting financial preparedness at the heart of a broader effort to reduce disaster losses.