CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA—The G20 Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction concluded its meeting on October 13, the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, with a strong commitment to global resilience and the adoption of key principles for disaster investment.
G20 Ministers unanimously adopted the Ministerial Declaration, “Resilience of All,” which emphatically states that resilience must be central to sustainable development, economic stability, and shared prosperity. The declaration calls for strengthened national and global action to:
• Expand early warning systems.
• Promote resilient infrastructure.
• Scale up nature-based solutions.
In a move to improve global financing for disaster readiness, the Ministers also endorsed the Voluntary High-Level Principles for Investing in Disaster Risk Reduction as a flexible guide for national financing strategies. They further recognized the Recovery Readiness Assessment Framework as a crucial tool for proactive and inclusive recovery planning.
South Africa Showcases Homegrown Innovation
South Africa, acting as the G20 Presidency and host, provided several practical examples of resilience in action, demonstrating how local innovation is tackling heat, fire, and flood risks across the country.
Key projects highlighted by the report include:
• Cape Town Water Future: Following severe water restrictions in recent years, Cape Town’s augmentation plan is investing in aquifers, increasing water reuse and desalination, and prioritizing water access for the poorest residents, integrating water management into urban planning for a secure water future.
• Youth-Led Flood Mapping: The Water from a Rock project in KwaZulu-Natal, developed by the University of Pretoria’s YouthMappers, is turning digital skills into civic action. Following deadly floods, students developed a geofencing app to alert users entering high-risk zones, mapped emergency routes, and led awareness campaigns.
• Urban Heat Scientists: Residents in Tshwane, Cape Town, and Buffalo City have become citizen-scientists, using heat sensors mounted on cars to map temperature data street by street. These co-produced maps are being used by local governments to craft equitable heat action plans.
• Early Warnings for Cross-Border Water Security: A project in the tri-national Inkomati Basin (bordering South Africa, Mozambique, and eSwatini) is co-developing an early warning system with communities to address risks from floods, drought, and water pollution, bridging hydrology and public health across boundaries.
• Fire Forecasting with Fuzzy Logic: In KwaZulu-Natal, researchers are using fuzzy logic to analyze rapid micro-climate shifts caused by hot, dry Berg wind events. This system aims to complement existing fire danger monitoring and improve near-real-time early warning alerts for wildfire risks.
• Safer Informal Settlements: A ‘Youth Foresight Sprint’ team examined the overlapping risks of floods, fires, and landslides in informal settlements, demonstrating that risk is socially constructed by systemic inequality. Their work identifies pathways for safer housing and community-led resilience.
The conclusion of the working group emphasizes that resilience will thrive “where innovation meets participation,” underscoring the vital role of every individual, data point, and community contribution in reducing disaster risks.