The stakes are high. By 2050, the global population will reach 10 billion, and over 90 percent of infrastructure needed by then has yet to be built. Without resilience, the world risks stranded assets and escalating disasters. The world faces an infrastructure crisis that threatens lives, economies, and essential services. According to the Global Infrastructure Resilience report, disasters cost over USD 700 billion annually in damages, with low- and middle-income countries bearing 54 percent of the impact despite holding only a third of global infrastructure value. These countries face chronic underinvestment and up to 85 percent of infrastructure spending is on repairs rather than resilient development.
Investing in resilience transforms vulnerability into opportunity. Nature-based infrastructure solutions (NbIS) like mangroves and wetlands are cost-effective, providing protection at nearly half the cost of traditional infrastructure while enhancing biodiversity and water quality. NbIS currently account for only 0.3 percent of global infrastructure spending. By reframing resilience as an economic opportunity, we can break the cycle of vulnerability and build a future where infrastructure enables sustainable growth, equity, and climate adaptation.
The plenary aims to explore strategies for integrating resilience into infrastructure development, focusing on unlocking the resilience dividend to ensure sustainable growth, equity, and climate adaptation.