Thematic Areas for Cohort 2024-25

• Use of GIRI data for informed decision-making towards resilience of critical infrastructure systems
• Multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information for resilient infrastructure and community wellbeing
• Building resilience of critical infrastructure sectors to extreme heat events
• Ensuring climate and disaster resilience of physical infrastructure in high mountain regions
• Quantification of vulnerability and physical losses of infrastructure sectors due to secondary hazards
• Resilient food infrastructure systems

Use of GIRI data for informed decision-making towards resilience of critical infrastructure systems

CDRI's Global Infrastructure Resilience Index (GIRI) platform, the first ever fully probabilistic risk assessment covering global infrastructure sectors, enables users to freely access and use all risk metrics produced. GIRI is expected to inform planning, decision-making and investment in disaster and climate-resilient infrastructure by providing credible and fully comparable probabilistic risk metrics that cover every country and territory in the world. GIRI will measure resilience in major infrastructure sectors, helping estimate risks to major hazards considering a range of climate change scenarios. It will also consider the capacity of countries to manage and reduce the risks they face.

Proposals considered under this theme will specifically use data from GIRI to inform research projects focusing on the resilience of power, telecommunications, roads and railways, ports and airports, oil and gas, water and wastewater, health, education, and buildings (commercial & residential).

Multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information for resilient infrastructure and community wellbeing

Multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS) and disaster risk information play a vital role in fostering resilient infrastructure and ensuring the wellbeing of communities. These systems integrate advanced technology, data analytics, and local expertise to anticipate and mitigate threats including natural hazards and extreme climate events. By providing timely alerts and actionable information, MHEWS empower governments, communities, and organizations to prepare and respond effectively and thus, reduce the impact of the disasters.

Building resilience of critical infrastructure sectors to extreme heat events

Human-induced climate change and the consequent, irreversible warming of the planet are exacerbating extreme heat conditions across the world. Building resilience in critical infrastructure sectors to extreme heat events is imperative for the health and wellbeing of communities and sustained economic growth. This will require investments in infrastructure upgrades, improved heat-related risk assessments, and enhanced emergency response plans. Innovative cooling technologies, efficient energy management, and urban planning solutions.

Ensuring climate and disaster resilience of physical infrastructure in high mountain regions

High mountain communities and ecosystems are areas of high hazard risks like glacier melt, glacial lake outburst flooding (GLOF) and avalanches. Ensuring resilience of critical infrastructure in these regions entails a comprehensive approach including precise risk assessment accounting for changing climatic patterns, specialized engineering for infrastructure durability, and advanced monitoring systems for early warnings. Sustainable land-use planning and community participation are equally vital for an effective, coordinated response to disasters in these vulnerable regions.

Quantification of vulnerability and physical losses of infrastructure sectors due to secondary hazards

Secondary hazards such as landslides, fires and tsunamis, which often follow primary events like earthquakes and floods, can exacerbate damage and disrupt essential services. These hazards are not sufficiently covered by prearranged financing. To quantify vulnerability, a detailed analysis of the infrastructure's susceptibility to secondary hazards is necessary, considering factors like structural integrity, location, and resilience measures in place. This information informs risk models and loss estimations, enabling better preparedness and resource allocation.

Resilient food infrastructure systems

In an increasingly uncertain future marked by extreme climate events, food and nutrition security will require concerted investments in resilient agricultural infrastructure systems, focusing on climate risks across the value chain – pre-production, production, processing, storage and distribution. The ability to swiftly restore and maintain food production, distribution, and access in the wake of disasters and extreme climate events will be critical for the well-being of affected communities at a local level as well as for development trajectories at the national and regional levels.