Improving Community Resilience to Climate Change
The Insurance Council of Australia has today launched a key public policy paper aimed at improving community resilience to extreme weather events.
“In Australia over the last 12 months severe weather events have cost the Australian community an estimated $2.2 Billion in insured losses. With weather predicted to become more severe, improving the community’s ability to withstand and recover from severe weather events is vital,” said CEO of the Insurance Council of Australia, Ms Kerrie Kelly.
“Community resilience to more severe weather is crucial for appropriate risk management of the built environment. Individuals and businesses need to change their perceptions of what can and should be done to prepare for and recover from severe weather events.”
The Insurance Council of Australia policy paper “Improving Community Resilience to Extreme Weather Events” identifies governments, industry and community actions required to assist Australian communities to successfully adapt to extreme weather events.
Ms Kelly noted, “It is the responsibility of the general insurance industry, governments, and the Australian community to take action on this issue. Policy decisions and key actions that can be taken to achieve greater resilience are outlined in the policy paper:
- For the general insurance industry: providing advice and research to government and the community regarding the probabilities and costs of severe weather events; providing best practice guidance to property owners/developers on risk adaptation; and ongoing product development and innovation to address extreme weather risks.
- For governments: ensuring appropriate land use planning and zoning; delivering best practice emergency services and recovery planning; and removing barriers to people taking out insurance (such as removing taxation on insurance products).
- For Individuals and business: taking actions to ensure that they make appropriate risk mitigation decisions such as choosing appropriate building materials, not purchasing property in areas at high risk of being effected by extreme weather events.”
The 6 key action areas of the policy paper are:
- Community understanding of weather related risks
- Risk appropriate land use planning & zoning
- Risk appropriate mitigation measures
- Risk appropriate property protection standards
- Financial risk mitigation in the community
- Community emergency & recovery planning
The Insurance Council’s May Conference in Sydney, “Climate Change: How Can the Australian Community Become More Resilient” will discuss this issue. Details of the Conference and copies of the resilience policy are available at www.insurancecouncil.com.au
For a PDF version please click here.
Media enquiries: Sean Sampson 02 9253 5161 0421 482 884