“They had a Google Maps without the picture.”
This striking phrase, from an interview with Dame Mary Beard, perfectly captures the Roman Empire’s limited view of its own world. While the Romans had a masterful network of routes—a practical, line-by-line guide to navigation—they lacked the strategic big-picture that modern maps provide. As Beard explained, “You don’t have the picture. And so how you envisage the world in which you operate is very, very hazy.” This fragmented view of their geography meant they could never truly plan for or respond to empire-wide challenges, whether logistical or environmental.
This historical insight underscores the critical role modern geographic technology plays in disaster risk reduction. The 2025 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction’s theme, “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters,” is a direct response to this lesson, calling for a decisive shift in financial priorities. It highlights that every $1 invested in resilient infrastructure can save $4 in future economic impacts.
Today, our maps are no longer just tools for getting from A to B. Powered by satellite imagery, GIS, and real-time data, they are foundational to building resilience, allowing us to:
- Identify high-risk areas for natural disasters.
- Plan evacuation routes and emergency responses.
- Design climate-resilient infrastructure.
- Allocate funding where it’s most needed to prevent future crises.
In essence, where the Romans operated without a full geographic understanding, modern societies rely on comprehensive geospatial intelligence to make smart, risk-informed decisions. This theme aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and responds to findings that insufficient funding and “risk-blind” investments are exacerbating global disaster risks. It emphasizes that private sector projects—which drive about 75% of global investments—must be designed with disaster risk in mind to avoid creating new vulnerabilities.
The lesson from history is clear. Without a complete understanding of our geographic reality, we cannot effectively prepare for or mitigate crises. Investing in modern mapping isn’t just a technological upgrade—it’s a vital component of funding resilience over reaction. This choice between proactive investment and reactive crisis management is perfectly illustrated by the two future scenarios—“Generation Jolt” and “Generation Regeneration”—developed by the United Nations Future Lab, which show the long-term consequences of our actions up to 2050.