Speaker(s):
From Risk to Opportunity: Insurer Responses to Climate Change
The insurance industry must start actively adapting in response to greenhouse gas trends if it is to survive. Lloyds' of London Insurance is the world's largest industry -generating about $4 trillion per year in premium revenue, plus another trillion or so in investment income. As a highly weather-sensitive sector of the economy, insurance companies are experiencing emerging climate risks, coupled with rising pressures to respond from their regulators, shareholders, and customers. With core competencies in risk management and finance, the industry is uniquely positioned to further the understanding of climate change and craft solutions to reduce emissions and mitigate unavoidable impacts. This seminar reviews the nature of insurers' vulnerability to climate change, as well as the hundreds of initiatives they are already mounting. The latter broadly includes engagement in climate science, promoting adaptation, offering a host of new "green" products and services, investing in emerging technologies, and reducing their own carbon footprints. Background material is posted at http://insurance.lbl.gov.
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