A VISION FOR CLOSING THE CRISIS PROTECTION GAP
Throughout 2024, the Centre for Disaster Protection has convened a High-Level Panel to articulate a clear and compelling vision and roadmap for Closing the Crisis Protection Gap.
The number of people whose lives are threatened by crises is increasing. The way the international crisis financing system continues to pay for and respond to climate- and disaster-related risks for vulnerable people and countries remains flawed, discretionary, and highly unpredictable.
Pre-arranged financing (PAF) for disasters is a critical component in improving crisis response. It has the potential to significantly increase the predictability, speed and effectiveness of responses to shocks, reducing financial costs and impacts on lives and livelihoods.
Yet, after nearly 20 years of internationally supported action on pre-arranged finance, there are still very few compelling examples of this having delivered transformational impact for people, with no parts of these actions yet performing well at scale.
In this context, also considering the evolving humanitarian, climate, and development finance reform landscape, and the pressing need to increase resources available to climate and disaster vulnerable countries, the Centre for Disaster Protection has identified a significant opportunity to improve the arrangements for pre-arranged finance in the international crisis financing architecture.
The Centre for Disaster Protection is convening a High-Level Panel on Closing the Crisis Protection Gap to articulate a clear and compelling integrated and interlinked vision and roadmap to close the crisis protection gap – which we define as the difference between total expected contingent liabilities of national or international responders (i.e. the costs they can expect to incur in responding to crises) and the expected funding available to meet these costs through pre-arranged financing mechanisms.
The High-Level Panel on Closing the Crisis Protection Gap is a flagship initiative of the Centre for Disaster Protection.
The recommendations of the panel are due to be announced at a launch event on the 30th of January 2025.
High-Level Panel Concept Note
High-Level Panel Terms of Reference
HIGH LEVEL PANEL
The High-Level Panel will explore potentially game-changing reforms and changes which can be rapidly and concretely operationalised to transition from the current approaches.
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Sir Mark Lowcock
Richard von Weizsäcker Fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy
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Arunma Oteh
Academic Scholar at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
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Alexandre Le Cuziat
Senior Emergency Advisor for West and Central Africa at WFP
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Amanda Glassman
Executive Advisor to the President at the Inter-American Development Bank
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Colin Bruce
Special Envoy, Humanitarian and Development Affairs at ICRC
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Daniel Clarke
Director at Centre for Disaster Protection
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Daniel Lund
Special Adviser to the Fijian Government
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Ekhosuehi Iyahen
Secretary General at the Insurance Development Forum
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Hassan Bashir
Executive Director at the Agency for Inclusive Innovations and Development
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Kazi Amdadul Hoque
Senior Director of Strategic Planning and Head of Climate Action at Friendship
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Mahmoud Mohieldin
Executive Director at IMF
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Maxwell Mkwezalamba
Non-Executive Director at African Risk Capacity Ltd.
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Nena Stoiljkovic
Under-Secretary General at IFRC
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Nicholas Reader
Secretariat Lead - High-Level Panel on Closing the Crisis Protection Gap
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Phil Stevens
Director for International Finance at the FCDO
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Rachel Turner
Independent Development Finance Expert
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Ryan Straughn
Minister in the Barbados Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs
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Stefan Dercon
Professor of Economic Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford
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Veronica Scotti
Group Managing Director and Chairperson at Swiss Re
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Rosalia V. De Leon
Monetary Board Member of the Central Bank of the Philippines
RELATED RESOURCES
REPORT
Contributions and challenges of disaster risk financing as a response to climate change induced losses and damages
WHO ARE THE CENTRE FOR DISASTER PROTECTION
The Centre for Disaster Protection provides the Secretariat to the High-level Panel while undertaking a complementary programme of research and thought leadership in support of this agenda.
The Centre works to prevent disasters devastating lives, by helping people, countries, and organisations change how they plan and pay for disasters. We focus on disaster risk financing to help ensure that money and plans are in place before a disaster strikes, so that the poorest and most vulnerable people are better protected. The Centre is funded with UK aid through the UK government.