Sustainable and resilient infrastructure provides communities and the environment with their first line of defense against shocks and is critical for the support it provides in recovery efforts. Robust and resilient infrastructure are key drivers of local and national economic growth. 

However, evidence shows that existing infrastructure systems and the services they provide are increasingly being affected by natural and man-made hazards, and from the impacts of climate change. The current approach to managing and financing disaster risk reduction is lagging behind the rapid rate of creation and increasing complexity of disaster risk. 

The session will look into several important issues that require concerted efforts: 

• Establishing overarching benchmarks for resilient infrastructure 
• Increase and improve data collection on SF Target D 
• Include infrastructure resilience in national DRR strategies  
• Promote a ‘Think Resilience’ approach to all infrastructure investments, 
• Urge international financial institutions and development banks, as well as national financial institutions, to align their strategies, operations and activities with the 2030 initiatives. 
• Consider specific country requirements (e.g. SIDS and LDCs) and specific needs of the most vulnerable.