Saving lives, time and money: Evidence from anticipatory action, May 2025

We are in unchartered territory. An existential funding crisis, soaring levels of humanitarian need and a spiralling number of extreme weather events.

Each dollar we spend must go further.

There is key evidence showing that anticipatory action provides a cost-effective and efficient way for life-saving assistance that addresses humanitarian needs while strengthening resilience to predictable risks.

Strong interagency coordination amplifies these benefits by improving resource allocation, reducing duplication of efforts, and fostering a more cohesive and timelier, prioritized response.

The non-exhaustive list of findings outlined below is drawn from evidence generated by a number of organizations, reflecting broad insights and experiences from across the sector.