Project Overview

Forum for the Future is helping the industry take action by supporting ClimateWise, a global collaboration of leading insurers focused on reducing the risks of climate change.

Responding to the Challenge of Climate Change (pdf link on left hand side), a paper commissioned by ClimateWise, calls for insurers to play a much more active role matching the urgency of the threat and recommends action in key areas. These include:

• rate businesses on how they contribute to climate risk
• create business models which incentivise low-carbon behaviour
• rethink current investment strategies which create climate risk rather than reduce it
• find innovative ways to prevent the worst-hit countries and regions becoming uninsurable.

"As independent reviewers for ClimateWise member reports for the second year running, Forum for the Future has delivered another first-rate piece of work, the findings of which will contribute directly to shaping our direction and progress in the next year. ClimateWise is an industry initiative whose members are proud to be open to, and learn from, well-informed, independent review. Forum’s deep experience of working with leading businesses on a range of urgent sustainability issues has shown through in this balanced and constructive, yet challenging, report which will undoubtedly support wider change within our industry.” 
Andrew Torrance, Chairman of ClimateWise

ClimateWise brings together more than 40 international organisations, from Europe, North America, Asia and Southern Africa. In 2009 and 2008 the Forum carried out an independent review of their progress against the six ClimateWise principles. Members commit to take climate change into account throughout their operations, agreeing to:

1. Lead in risk analysis.
2. Inform policymaking.
3. Support climate awareness among customers.
4. Incorporate climate change into investment strategies.
5. Reduce the environmental impact of their businesses.
6. Report and be accountable.

To download reports go to left hand side