UNOPS has released a new publication, “Scaling infrastructure resilience: A suite of tools for resilient infrastructure planning,” aimed at strengthening how governments and partners incorporate disaster and climate risk into national infrastructure decisions. The October 2026 update, originally published on 13 October 2025, is based on an analysis of more than 75 existing tools and highlights approaches intended to help reduce loss and damage to public infrastructure from shocks and stresses.
The publication is designed to support implementation capacity by offering clearer, actionable pathways for risk-informed infrastructure planning. It points to tool sets that decision-makers can adapt across sectors and hazards, scale from sub-national to global levels, and use without excessive complexity, according to UNOPS.
Background: from risk awareness to practical planning
Infrastructure systems such as transport, water and energy are repeatedly affected by climate change and other disaster-related impacts. When disruptions occur, they can interrupt essential services and raise operating costs.
UNOPS says the publication responds to partner demand for practical methods that move beyond risk awareness toward evidence-based decision-making in national planning processes. It frames resilience as something that can be embedded into core infrastructure planning rather than treated as an add-on after impacts occur.
The publication’s approach and tools
UNOPS presents the publication as the culmination of an analysis of over 75 tools for resilient infrastructure planning. The work identifies three key tool characteristics that partners can use to navigate risk: tools that are adaptable across multiple infrastructure sectors and hazards; scalable from sub-national to global levels; and easy to adopt.
The publication highlights three tools it says align with these characteristics:
- Global Infrastructure Risk and Resilience Index, commissioned by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
- UNDRR Stress Testing Tool, developed by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
- Systematic Risk Assessment Tool, developed by the University of Oxford.
UNOPS also links the tools to efforts to address loss and damage to public infrastructure caused by shocks and stresses.
Why the issue matters for countries and infrastructure users
The article notes that shocks and stresses can lead to infrastructure loss and damage that disrupt essential services and increase operating costs. UNOPS cites an estimated global average annual loss of over $700 billion, with 54% of that burden carried by low- and middle-income countries.
This framing positions resilience planning tools as relevant to development outcomes that depend on functioning infrastructure, including access to basic services and continuity of livelihoods during emergencies.
In a quoted statement, Steven Crosskey, UNOPS Director of Infrastructure and Project Management (a.i.), said decision-makers need more than awareness of risks and that the publication provides a “clear and actionable pathway” for integrating resilience into national infrastructure planning.
Relevance to infrastructure planning and disaster risk reduction
By focusing on risk-informed decision-making and implementation capacity, the publication targets the planning stage where governments and partners can potentially reduce future impacts on public assets. The highlighted tools are presented as evidence-based options meant to support the integration of resilience into national infrastructure planning processes.
The publication’s emphasis on tools that are adaptable, scalable and easy to adopt is intended to help decision-makers apply practical methods across different contexts and levels of governance.
What UNOPS says the publication will help deliver
UNOPS describes the publication as offering pathways that support integration of resilience into national infrastructure planning. Its objective is not presented as funding or implementation of projects directly, but as strengthening planning capacity by translating existing risk-informed tools into clearer options for decision-makers.
The publication therefore functions as a resources package for development practitioners involved in infrastructure planning, disaster risk reduction, and risk-informed governance—particularly in settings where infrastructure investments must account for growing climate and disaster risks.
Key Details
- Initiative or programme: “Scaling infrastructure resilience: A suite of tools for resilient infrastructure planning” (publication)
- Lead organization: UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services)
- Partners: Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure; UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR); University of Oxford
- Funding amount: Not specified in the source material
- Geographic focus: Global (national infrastructure planning support; tools described as scalable across levels)
- Target groups: Decision-makers involved in national infrastructure planning; planners and implementation stakeholders seeking risk-informed approaches
- Duration or timeline: Publication updated 12 October 2026; originally published 13 October 2025 (timeline for release)
- Expected reach or outcomes: Strengthen implementation capacity by providing clear, actionable pathways to integrate resilience into national infrastructure planning; support risk-informed decision-making using highlighted tools
Why This Matters
For NGOs, civil society organizations, and development practitioners, the publication points to a practical way to strengthen resilience work at the planning stage—where many infrastructure decisions are made and where risk-informed methods can influence downstream service delivery.
The highlighted tools and criteria (adaptable, scalable, and easy to adopt) may help partners in disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, and infrastructure governance align technical evidence with national planning processes. It also underscores a key development theme for low- and middle-income countries: reducing loss and damage to public infrastructure that can disrupt essential services and increase operating costs.
While the source does not indicate grant funding or applications, the release may support collaboration opportunities by providing a common reference for stakeholders working on resilience integration across sectors and hazard contexts.
Source: Pathways to resilience: UNOPS publication supports enhanced…
