As the impacts of climate change become more pronounced, communities and businesses around the world face unprecedented challenges that require innovative solutions and collaborative efforts to mitigate risks, build resilience, and adapt to current, emerging, and evolving risks.
During last month’s COP29, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, multiple stakeholders from the private and public sectors discussed the urgency of effective adaptation and mitigation strategies to address the impacts of climate change, including heat and water scarcity. Effective insurance solutions and risk management strategies have an important role to play to help businesses address the impacts of climate change on their people and operations.
Considering the importance of a dynamic risk management approach to help organisations prepare for climate-related risks, it is critical to involve risk and insurance professionals early to help assess the viability of investments, ensuring that they align with organisations’ sustainability goals.
In this episode of Risk in Context, Amy Barnes, Marsh's Head of Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy, speaks with Nick Faull, Head of Climate and Sustainability Risk at Marsh, and Swenja Surminski, Managing Director, Climate and Sustainability at Marsh McLennan. They share some of the key takeaways from COP29, talk about the role of insurance, and discuss how risk professionals can leverage advanced tools, technologies, and dynamic strategies to help their organisations navigate today's complex climate landscape.
Head of Climate & Sustainability Strategy
Global
Amy Barnes heads Marsh’s climate and sustainability strategy. Prior to this she held a number of leadership roles with Marsh’s global energy, power, and renewables business. She has a respected depth and breadth of experience assisting some of the largest and most complex companies manage risks.
Head of Climate & Sustainability Risk, Marsh
United Kingdom
Nick Faull is the Head of Climate and Sustainability Risk at Marsh where he helps to develop Marsh’s global sustainability and climate services — including risk modelling and management — to support clients as they transition towards net zero carbon emissions. He was previously Head of Strategic Risk Consulting at Marsh in the UK, as part of which he led the roll-out of Marsh’s climate proposition to clients. Prior to this he spent nine years with Oliver Wyman consulting to financial services firms on a range of risk-related issues. He combines extensive consulting experience with a strong background in climate having completed a DPhil in climate change modelling at Oxford University.
Managing Director of Climate and Sustainability, Marsh McLennan
United Kingdom
Swenja Surminski is managing director of climate and sustainability at Marsh McLennan, and chairs the Munich Climate Insurance Initiative. She is a Professor at the Grantham Research Institute at the London School of Economics and has been appointed by the UK government to the UK Climate Change Committee, an independent statutory body that advises the UK government on emissions targets and on adapting to the impacts of climate change. She was contributing author to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and has written several books and articles on climate risk management.
