This year, the UNDRR’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction highlights the critical link between disasters and inequality. Unequal access to financial resources and insurance often exposes the vulnerable to disaster risks. Conversely, disasters can worsen disparities, plunging the marginalized into deeper poverty.

The Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation through its groundbreaking earthquake hazard and risk maps presented at the GEM Conference in June 2023, is taking significant strides to address this issue. These maps provide vital insights into the variation of risk around the world, thus equipping risk managers, insurers, engineers, building regulators, and community planners with information to inform risk reduction measures by improving building safety and land use, enhancing earthquake preparedness, and incentivising risk transfer mechanisms such as insurance.