UNDRR and the International Science Council renew partnership to advance risk-informed sustainable development
News was produced by: UNDRR
Geneva, 13 November 2025 - The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the International Science Council (ISC) have renewed their long-standing partnership through an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in Geneva by UNDRR Director Paola Albrito and ISC President Sir Peter Gluckman. The agreement extends the collaboration between the two organizations through 2035, reinforcing a shared commitment to harness science for a safer and more resilient world.
"The renewal of this long-standing friendship between UNDRR and ISC is an important formalization of a dynamic that happens naturally around the world - science informs disaster risk reduction," said Ms. Albrito.
For over a decade, UNDRR and ISC have worked together to strengthen the scientific foundations of disaster risk reduction and resilience. Their collaboration has produced key global public goods, including A Framework for Global Science in Support of Risk-Informed Sustainable Development and Planetary Health, the Hazard Definition and Classification Review, Hazard Information Profiles, and the Briefing Note on Systemic Risk. The partnership has also supported the Global Risk Perceptions Report and co-sponsored the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) programme - initiatives that have advanced global understanding of complex and interconnected risks.
Under the renewed MoU, both organizations will deepen collaboration in several priority areas. This includes making the Hazard Information Profiles machine-actionable through ISC's Committee on Data (CODATA), accelerating the responsible use of emerging technologies in disaster risk reduction, and strengthening the global community of risk science practitioners. These efforts aim to ensure that scientific knowledge continues to underpin decision-making for resilience and sustainable development.
"UNDRR and the ISC have achieved a lot together already. As we enter the final five years of the Sendai Framework and the SDGs, the urgency to accelerate implementation is mounting. Together, UNDRR and the ISC must build on their strong legacy to ensure that science continues to guide decisions in a rapidly changing world," noted Sir Peter.
ISC's Strategic Plan 2025-2028 highlights science as a driver of evidence-based policy and societal resilience. UNDRR's updated Strategic Framework 2026-2035 echoes this approach, emphasizing the importance of networks and partnerships with scientific institutions such as the ISC to advance risk-informed development and implementation of the Sendai Framework.
The renewed partnership marks a new chapter in aligning global science and policy communities to better anticipate, reduce, and manage risk in an increasingly complex world.