Rethinking Resilience: Adapting to a Changing Climate (2025) by the World Bank reframes climate resilience as a proactive, people-centered development strategy rather than a purely reactive or infrastructure-led response. The report argues that resilience must be built through economic empowerment alongside information, risk management tools, and targeted public support to help vulnerable households, firms, and governments prepare for and adapt to climate impacts.
Key Insights
Broader View of Resilience: Resilience is not just defensive infrastructure or government support; it includes empowering households and businesses to anticipate, absorb, and recover from shocks.
Five-Part Strategy: The report presents a “Five I’s” framework — income, information, insurance, infrastructure, and interventions — as the core components for strengthening resilience across economies.
Income and Information First: Higher incomes and timely, accurate climate information are foundational, enabling people to invest, diversify livelihoods, and manage risk more effectively.
Balanced Policy Mix: Robust insurance markets, resilient infrastructure, and well-designed public interventions complete the strategy, reducing vulnerability without undermining individual initiative.
