GAR 2015 Main Report

vii

Growing risk inequality

Growing

global inequality, increasing hazard exposure, rapid urbanization and the

overconsumption of energy and natural capital now threaten to drive risk to dangerous and unpredictable levels with

systemic global impacts.

The richest 2 per cent of the world’s adult population now own over 50 per cent of global wealth, whereas the bottom 50 per cent own less than 1 per cent of global wealth. An increasing concentration of wealth, accompanied by depressed real wages and cuts in spending on social welfare and safety nets, is expected to lead to growing risk inequality across territories and social groups.
( → Chapter 9 )

Sectors and territories without comparative advantages for economic development face increasing risks due to low levels of investment in risk-reducing infrastructure, an absence of social and environmental protection, and rural and urban poverty. In many low and middle-income countries, urban development is characterized by highly unequal access to urban space, infrastructure, services and security. ( → Chapter 11 )

Socially segregated urban development in turn generates new patterns of disaster risk. Low-income households are often forced to occupy hazard-exposed areas with low land values, deficient or non-existent infrastructure and social protection, and high levels of environmental degradation.

	vii Growing risk inequality Growing global inequality, increasing hazard exposure, rapid urbanization and the overconsumption of energy and natural capital now threaten to drive risk to dangerous and unpredictable levels with systemic global impacts. The richest 2 per cent of the world’s adult population now own over 50 per cent of global wealth, whereas the bottom 50 per cent own less than 1 per cent of global wealth. An increasing concentration of wealth, accompanied by depressed real wages and cuts in spending on social welfare and safety nets, is expected to lead to growing risk inequality across territories and social groups. ( → Chapter 9 ) Sectors and territories without comparative advantages for economic development face increasing risks due to low levels of investment in risk-reducing infrastructure, an absence of social and environmental protection, and rural and urban poverty. In many low and middle-income countries, urban development is characterized by highly unequal access to urban space, infrastructure, services and security. ( → Chapter 11 ) Socially segregated urban development in turn generates new patterns of disaster risk. Low-income households are often forced to occupy hazard-exposed areas with low land values, deficient or non-existent infrastructure and social protection, and high levels of environmental degradation.	Page 1 Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 ->Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 30 Page 40 Page 50 Page 60 Page 70 Page 80 Page 90 Page 100 Page 110 Page 120 Page 130 Page 140 Page 150 Page 160 Page 170 Page 180 Page 190 Page 200 Page 210 Page 220 Page 230 Page 240 Page 250 Page 260 Page 270 Page 280 Page 290 Page 300 Page 310