Climate Proofers

How did COP29 advance (or obstruct) the climate adaptation agenda? While the conference produced a controversial new climate finance goal, this had little to offer developing countries working to climate-proof their populations. On the other hand, agreement on a way forward for the Global Goal on Adaptation, a central plank of the Paris Agreement, offers hope that countries will be better able to measure adaptation progress – and demand the finance, expertise, and technologies they need to round out their national adaptation plans. In this episode, Louie is joined by Ana Mulio Alvarez, a researcher focused on the UNFCCC, adaptation, and Loss and Damage at the international think tank E3G. Ana was on the ground at Baku for the entirety of the Baku summit, and has unparalleled insight into the adaptation and resilience negotiations that took place. She unpacks her adaptation wins and fails of COP29, and offers her expert opinion on whether these summits are still worth the struggle. Sign up to climateproof.news for a twice-weekly dose of climate adaptation & resilience news and insights. Questions? Comments? Email Louie at louie.woodall@loremedia.info

In this insightful discussion, Julie Gorte, Senior Vice President for Sustainable Investing at Impax Asset Management, dives into the crucial intersection of climate risk and investment strategies. She emphasizes that investors must engage with climate adaptation to protect their portfolios from extreme weather impacts. Gorte highlights the importance of investing in companies that are climate-proofed and the potential opportunities in adaptation services. Finally, she touches on the political climate's influence on climate investments, particularly concerning future leadership.

Parametric insurance is all the rage in climate resilience circles. This is a financial product that pays out to policyholders upon a triggering event – like after a certain amount of rainfall hits an area, or if temperatures exceed a certain threshold for a number of consecutive days. Nakita Devlin is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ric, a parametric insurance startup that caters to individuals caught in rainfall-induced flooding events. She talks with Louie about the current vogue for this type of insurance, why established carriers and startups alike are excited by its potential, and the tech and policy hurdles – and opportunities – she faces. Nakita also discusses how parametric insurance fits in with the broader ecosystem of climate solutions, and the importance of community-based resilience. Sign up to climateproof.news for a twice-weekly dose of climate adaptation & resilience news and insights. Questions? Comments? Email Louie at louie.woodall@loremedia.info

The insurance industry is on the front lines of climate risk. In order to write profitable policies in high-risk zones, carriers need data and insights that give them an edge – and customers who know how to build climate resiliency. Enter Faura, an InsurTech startup co-founded by today's guest, Valkyrie Holmes. Her team have pioneered a new way to produce "survivability" assessments – a measure of a property's resilience to natural disasters – that has caught the attention of both insurers and real estate professionals looking to navigate an increasingly hazardous market. Valkyrie unpacks the concept of "survivability" and its importance to those writing and seeking insurance, and explains how Faura's assessments empower homeowners to proactively reduce their own risk. She also reflects on the insurance industry's appetite for innovation and the challenges involved piloting a disruptive startup in a heavily regulated and complex sector. Sign up to climateproof.news for a twice-weekly dose of climate adaptation & resilience news and insights. Questions? Comments? Email Louie at louie.woodall@loremedia.info

London has sustained a barrage of climate shocks in recent years – from devastating heat waves to flash flooding and a string of "rain bombs". The metropolis has to defend itself against these shocks. As the engine of the UK economy, anything that happens to the capital reverberates throughout the country. Hence the London Climate Resilience Review, a first-of-its-kind analysis commissioned by Mayor Sadiq Khan and chaired by today's guest, Emma Howard Boyd CBE. The Review, published earlier this year, assesses the UK capital's climate resilience and makes over 50 recommendations on preparing the city for worsening climate impacts. Emma puts the Review in context, takes us through some of the top recommendations, and highlights the importance of joined-up governance and the sharing of best practices across cities to building long-lasting resilience. Sign up to climateproof.news for a twice-weekly dose of climate adaptation & resilience news and insights. Questions? Comments? Email Louie at louie.woodall@loremedia.info

City leaders are up to their necks in climate risks. They need help to harden their people and places against floods, storms, and heat waves. Why not call Adam Freed? Today's Climate Proofers guest is a Principal at Bloomberg Associates, an organization which provides adaptation and resilience consulting to Mayors and their staff – pro bono. Adam breaks down the reasons why cities are susceptible to climate shocks – from outdated infrastructure to rapid urban growth – and the changes in governance and governing that could help scale resilience solutions. He also shares some success stories, like London's flood prevention efforts and Phoenix's ambitious shade plan, and touts the opportunities for governments, businesses, and startups that are piling into the urban resilience space. Sign up to climateproof.news for a twice-weekly dose of climate adaptation & resilience news and insights. Questions? Comments? Email Louie at louie.woodall@loremedia.info

Cities are magnets for climate risks. We've designed metropolises that intensify hazards like floods and extreme heat, and have to nurture and scale solutions to address their impacts – fast. Hence the importance of accelerators: programs that support the rapid growth of new technologies for addressing climate change. Michael Jacobs oversees the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, which works to scale climate solutions from nonprofits and governmental agencies using IBM technology and AI know-how. To date, the IBM Sustainability Accelerator has supported 15 global projects across three active cohorts focused on sustainable agriculture, clean energy, and water management. The focus of its latest cohort? Resilient cities. Michael joins Climate Proofers to discuss how the Accelerator got its start, how participants benefit, and the massive potential of AI to build more climate-resilient cities. Sign up to climateproof.news for a twice-weekly dose of climate adaptation & resilience news and insights. Questions? Comments? Email Louie at louie.woodall@loremedia.info

Climate change is injecting volatility into geopolitics, with worrying implications for international relations and the (already fraying) rules-based order. Physical climate risks also have the potential to catalyze future geopolitical shocks – which could in turn lead to armed conflicts between nations. Alan Leung works at the global financial institution Macquarie Group as head of the threat intelligence team, and writes the informative newsletter Securing Our Climate, which focuses on the intersection of climate change, security, geopolitics, and finance. He joins Climate Proofers to discuss the climate impacts he believes could upend global security, highlight the new geopolitical fault lines that could open up as the world warms, and describe the collision of climate change and corporate operational risk management. Sign up to climateproof.news for a twice-weekly dose of climate adaptation & resilience news and insights. Questions? Comments? Email Louie at louie.woodall@loremedia.info

Thomas Mortlock, Head of Climate Analytics for APAC at Aon, dives deep into the world of catastrophe models and their role in understanding climate risk. He discusses the often-misunderstood limitations of these models in predicting financial losses from disasters. With a keen focus on the challenges insurers face, he emphasizes the necessity for accurate data and better modeling techniques. Mortlock also highlights the complexities of chronic climate risks, such as sea-level rise, stressing improved communication to help homeowners recognize and manage their flooding risks.

Kathryn Brown is a true climate adaptation veteran. For the last three years, she's been tackling climate change impacts with The Wildlife Trusts, a federation of UK charities focused on making a positive difference to wildlife and future generations. Prior to this role, she served nine years with the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC), an independent body that advises the UK government on its climate actions and researches the country's preparedness for climate shocks. Kathryn talks about the role of climate adaptation in wildlife habitat conservation, the difficult trade-offs involved when it comes to preserving ecosystems, and her experiences working as Head of Adaptation at the CCC. Sign up to climateproof.news for a twice-weekly dose of climate adaptation & resilience news and insights. Questions? Comments? Email Louie at louie.woodall@loremedia.info