Glossary

Catastrophe bond

A catastrophe bond (cat bond) is a risk-transfer financial instrument that allows governments or insurers to transfer disaster risk to capital market investors. If a specified disaster event occurs, the bond’s principal is used to provide funds for recovery; if no event occurs, investors receive interest payments and their principal back.

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This working paper presents a framework that compares contingent loans, grants from multilateral development banks, catastrophe bonds, and insurance provided through regional risk pools.

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other key terms

Accountability

Being responsible for decisions and resources, listening to affected people, and accepting consequences for actions taken.

Early warning system

Systems that monitor hazards and share information early, so people can act in time.

Crisis risk

The likelihood of harm or loss from crises shaped by hazards, exposure, vulnerability and capacity.

Risk profile

Underlying risks that an organisation or country is exposed to and the extent to which they are mitigated by pre-arranged finance.

Other official flows (OOF)

Public funding supporting development that does not meet official aid definitions.

Anticipatory Action

Actions taken before a crisis hits to prevent or reduce potential disaster impacts prior to a shock or before acute impacts are felt.