World Summit on Disaster Management (WSDM) 2025

1. Context

The World Summit on Disaster Management (WSDM) 2025 was convened to bring together global leaders, scientists, policymakers, and humanitarian agencies to strengthen international cooperation on disaster preparedness, response, and climate resilience.

2. Key Themes of WSDM 2025

A. Climate-Driven Disasters

• Emphasis on rising frequency of extreme weather events—heatwaves, floods, cyclones, droughts—linked to global warming.

• Calls for enhanced climate adaptation financing.

B. Technology & Innovation in Disaster Response

• Promotion of AI-based early warning systems, satellite monitoring, predictive analytics, and real-time communication tools.

• Expansion of multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS) in low-income regions.

C. Community-Centric Preparedness

• Recognition that first responders are communities, not national agencies.

• Stress on local training, volunteer networks, and women-led resilience initiatives.

D. Humanitarian Corridors & Conflict Zones

• Focus on ensuring disaster response access in war-affected regions such as Myanmar, Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine.

• Push for a global protocol on humanitarian corridors during crises.

3. Major Outcomes / Declarations

1. Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) 2.0

• Revamped global platform to share technology, best practices, and risk models.

• Special support for climate-vulnerable countries like SIDS (Small Island Developing States).

2. Disaster Finance Compact

• Agreement to mobilize $25 billion by 2030 for early warning systems, resilience infrastructure, and preparedness planning.

• Encouragement to expand parametric insurance and catastrophe bonds.

3. Open Data Commitment

• Countries agreed to share hazard, exposure, and vulnerability data to improve global risk models and forecasting.

4. Urban Resilience Mission

• Special programme to support megacities vulnerable to floods, heatwaves, and earthquakes.

• Smart infrastructure: heat-resistant buildings, flood-resilient drainage, risk-informed urban planning.

4. India’s Participation

• India highlighted its “whole-of-society” disaster management model integrating NDMA, NDRF, SDMAs, and local bodies.

• Showcased initiatives like:

  • Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)

  • Early Warning for All Initiative

  • Use of ISRO satellites for real-time disaster monitoring

• India advocated for equitable access to disaster technology for the Global South.

5. Significance of WSDM 2025

• Reinforces global alignment with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030).

• Addresses the widening resilience gap between developed and developing countries.

• Encourages multi-sector collaboration across governments, private sector, research institutions, and communities.

6. Way Forward

• Strengthen local capacity and decentralised disaster governance.

• Scale up financing for climate resilience and adaptation.

• Integrate disaster risk reduction (DRR) in development planning and infrastructure.

• Enhance global cooperation through open data, shared technologies, and knowledge exchange.