Resilience levels across countries dropped significantly in 2023 compared to 2021 according to the newly published World Risk Poll 2024 Report. While low-income countries occupy the bottom of the ranking for resilience, the top 10 resilient countries are not exclusively advanced economies. The survey respondents expressed uncertainty about protecting themselves and their loved ones during disasters.
The report reveals that while the overall global resilience level remained stable, resilience levels dropped significantly in 42 countries. This is primarily due to an increase in the number of people who feel they can do nothing to protect themselves and their families in the event of a disaster.
The report also states that the number of individuals who personally experienced a natural disaster in the past five years increased from 27% in 2021 to 30% in 2023, mainly due to excessive flooding in many countries. Overall, 30% of those who reported experiencing a disaster in the last five years had not been notified about the approaching disaster by any means. Of these, 77% owned a cell phone. This highlights the importance of adopting early-warning mobile systems.
See also: Study unveils the costliest natural disasters of 2023
Despite these fluctuations, the overall world resilience map remained relatively comparable between 2021 and 2023. At a regional level, in 2023, Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and Northern/Western Europe led the list of the world’s most resilient regions. At the other end of the spectrum, Africa remained the least resilient region, along with Latin America and the Caribbean.
Fig.1. Resilience Index scores, regional overview, (2021-2023)
Source: World Risk Poll 2024 Report
At country level, Eastern European countries recorded the highest decline in resilience levels. Bulgaria experienced a 10-point drop, the highest on the list, with Croatia, North Macedonia, Poland, Serbia, and Slovakia also seeing significant declines. Soaring inflation rates and the conflict in nearby Ukraine are among the reasons for this sharp decline.
On the other hand, Africa’s Algeria, Gabon, and Burkina Faso led the list of countries with the highest increase in resilience since 2021, being followed by Russia, El Salvador, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand, and Ukraine.
Fig.2. Countries with the biggest decreases in overall resilience (2021-2023)
Source: World Risk Poll 2024 Report
Fig.3. Countries with the biggest increases in overall resilience (2021-2023)
Source: World Risk Poll 2024 Report
Overall, in 2023, Kuwait, Vietnam, and Norway occupied the top three positions in the list of the most resilient countries. The top 10 also included Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, Austria, Bahrain, and Luxembourg.
See also: The top 10 safest and least safe countries in the world
In contrast, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Chad recorded the lowest points, occupying the lowest positions in the ranking. Overall, the least resilient countries are low-income countries as classified by the World Bank.
“World Risk Poll 2024 Report: Resilience in a Changing World” produced by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation measures resilience in a changing world across countries. The first report, published in 2021, assessed resilience in 121 countries. In the recently published 2023 report, the Foundation expanded its survey to 142 countries, including 120 from the previous report. The Resilience Index measures resilience across four dimensions: Individual, Household, Community, and Societal.
