The Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation's 2026 global seismic risk assessment reports that unreinforced masonry and earthen construction account for more than half of the buildings estimated to be destroyed by earthquake shaking in an average year worldwide. This is an estimate based on averaging many possible earthquakes, not a prediction for any particular year. The finding highlights the importance of building design and construction in reducing earthquake risk, a concern at the heart of this year's International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) on 13 October, under the theme “Resilience Starts at Home.”