In Antalya, Türkiye, six United Nations agencies have joined forces around a simple idea: get money ready before disasters strike, so warnings can lead to action in time.
The new UN Disaster Risk Financing Platform was launched at the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP31. It aims to secure access to more than $3 billion in risk financing by 2030, with the goal of protecting 75 million people and their livelihoods from climate shocks and other natural hazards. The effort addresses a major gap: pre-arranged financing accounts for less than 2 percent of global humanitarian funding, even as disasters become more frequent and connected.
The platform brings together the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Organization for Migration, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNICEF, the UN Refugee Agency and the UN World Food Programme. They plan to share data and expertise, coordinate solutions and expand the use of financing that is arranged before a crisis. Forecasts and other analysis can help governments and aid agencies identify risks early; ready funds can then support action before a flood, storm or other emergency causes greater harm.
The agencies say this approach can make funding more predictable, help direct it where it is needed and improve responses before, during and after disasters. They also plan to work with insurance providers and financial markets, which could help reduce costs as the financing grows. Each agency will keep its own program and operating independence while taking part in the joint effort.
Some of the work began before the public launch. OCHA and UNICEF have put insurance policies in place to support their early-action programs. Specialist insurance teams from the World Food Programme helped with that effort. The policies provide a financial safety net so teams can reach more people before disasters hit, helping protect homes, food and livelihoods.
The International Organization for Migration will contribute its knowledge of displacement risks and early action. That work matters because a disaster can force families from their homes, while advance planning may help reduce that risk. UNICEF climate and environment director Gernot Laganda said forecasts can provide days, and sometimes weeks, to prepare. That time can allow teams to arrange safe water, health and nutrition supplies, and routes to safety for families before danger arrives.
For the agencies, the challenge now is to turn shared expertise and new financing into a much larger shift in how humanitarian aid is funded. With less than 2 percent of global humanitarian financing arranged in advance, the platform’s ambition is substantial. Its success will depend on expanding reliable funding and using early warnings to reach vulnerable communities before a crisis escalates.