Swenja Surminski
Swenja is a Professor in Practice at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, part of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), overseeing social science research projects on climate adaptation, Loss and Damage of climate change, and disaster risk finance with a geographic scope ranging from the UK to developing countries. Swenja’s research is investigating climate risk management and resilience strategies focusing on public policies, financial instruments and individual behaviour through a mix of inter-disciplinary approaches, integrating concepts from geography, climate science, economics and governance studies:
- Principal Investigator for the Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance (ZFRA) project, launching a new flood resilience research group.
- Co-PI for GCRF Development Corridors Partnership project funded by Research Councils UK through the Global Challenges Research Fund. The project seeks to advance African and Chinese capacity to address development challenges through corridors in africa, investigating how those investment decisions can be more aligned with sustainable development goals and exploring the role of multi-sectoral partnerships in driving growth corridors.
- Case study lead ‘Uncertainty reduction in models for understanding development’ (UMFULA), part of the Future Climate for Africa (FCFA) Programme, jointly funded by the UK Department for International Development and the UK Natural Environment Research Council; investigating the role of climate data in decision-making in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia.
- PI of the LSE IGA/Rockefeller project ‘ Evaluating the Resilience Impact of Climate Insurance (ERICI)‘ – investigating insurance as a tool for financial and climate resilience. The project uses innovations in subjective measures to explore how climate insurance can improve resilience of the world’s poor.
- Chapter lead on business and industry for UK Climate Change Risk Assessment.
She has published widely on these topics and is a contributing author to the IPCC and the EU Science for Disaster Risk Management Report. She is co-founder of the ‘Loss and Damage Network’–bringing together academics and practitioners working on the UNFCCC’s L&D work program. She works closely with industry and policy makers and was appointed Visiting Academic at the Bank of England in 2015 to work on the regulator’s first report on climate change (PDF). Swenja was selected lead author for the business and industry chapter of the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment in 2017 and Lead Academic for a World Bank project on the benefits of Disaster Risk Management (DRM), working with the Overseas Development Institute to explore how the co-benefits of DRM measures can strengthen the economic case for investment (PDF). Swenja was the GRI-lead in the Costing Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Ireland project, in collaboration with University College Cork and funded by the Environmental Protection Agency in Ireland. From 2012 – 2016 she was Principal Investigator for the EU’s FP7-project ENHANCE, conducting an analysis of disaster risk management partnerships across Europe and an investigation of the UK’s new Flood Re insurance arrangement.
Background
Prior to joining LSE in 2010 Swenja spent more than ten years in the insurance industry working on climate and risks management, including roles at Munich Re, Marsh Mc Lennon and the Association of British Insurers. Swenja was a Fulbright Scholar in the US, studying Ecological Economics and International Relations at the University of New Hampshire and received a PhD in Political Science from Hamburg University for her work on ‘Climate Change and the Insurance Industry’ in 2002.
Research interests
- Insurance of climate and disaster risks: governance, public-private partnerships and political processes
- The role of insurance in climate resilient development – measuring resilience impact, subjective resilience indicators
- Flood insurance in developed countries, emerging markets and the developing world;
- UNFCCC’s Loss and Damage policy area
- The benefits of disaster risk management
- Private sector adaptation
Research
Research - 2023
This chapter is part of the 'Impact Assessment for Corridors: From Infrastructure to Development Corridors' book published by Development Corridors Partnership. Read more
The authors of this paper use an innovative analytical approach to investigate the knowledge gaps and challenges associated with considering multiple resilience dividends in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of disaster risk reduction interventions at the community level for the example of flood risk. Read more
Research - 2022
This analysis shows that urban flood resilience as a concept has evolved over the last two decades. From an engineering concept with a strong focus on ensuring that the built environment can withstand a flood to a more recent definition as a transformative process with the aim to enable all parts of the urban system to live with floods and learn from previous shocks. Read more
The authors of this paper investigate how methods used to model perceptions and measure resilience can help decision-makers create inclusive and proactive flood resilience strategies for communities. Read more
This paper explores how climate risk information produced in the context of insurance-related activities can support public climate adaptation planning. The central contribution is to outline how relevant climate risk information can translate into behaviour change, and the drivers and barriers that influence this in Sub-Saharan Africa. Read more
Research - 2021
In this paper the authors advance a novel approach to integrated assessment of the ways in which the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are likely to manifest and interact within a given development context, using Q-Methodology and the conceptual framing of imaginaries. Read more
This paper investigates how methods used to model perceptions and measure resilience can help decision-makers create inclusive and proactive flood resilience strategies for communities, using a case study of Lowestoft, Eastern England. Read more
Many approaches and tools have been developed and used to measure climate resilience in cities. The authors of this study explore if and how such tools can be or have been used to support decision-making for building urban climate resilience. Read more
Using the example of flood risk in England and Wales, this study looks at both the evidence for and drivers of business lock-ins to the physical risks from climate change. The findings show that decisions made today can lock businesses into future risk trajectories that may be difficult and costly to change. Read more
This study explores how and to what extent tools to measure urban climate resilience can be or have been utilised by city-level actors to support their decision-making processes for building resilience. Read more
Effective management of slow-onset impacts such as coastal erosion, desertification and sea level rise and their often-transformative impacts on communities... Read more
Despite improvements in the management of flood risk and the introduction of new regulations, losses from flooding remain high. An... Read more
In the context of climate change adaptation, there has been a recent research focus on the impact of flood insurance... Read more
The concept of ‘multiple resilience dividends’ is not yet widely applied. This paper analyses the knowledge gaps and challenges that arise from applying ‘multiple resilience dividends’ in the planning, implementation and evaluation of disaster risk reduction interventions at the community level. Read more
Research - 2020
The analysis suggests that the Sustainable Development Goals and their targets mostly create conditions that aid the achievement of each other within development corridors but that there are trade-offs between some goals and other development gains. The authors signal priority areas for investment, policy reorientation and strengthened safeguards, to maximise positive SDG interactions and minimise negative ones. Read more
The authors find that new homes built in economically deprived parts of England and Wales between 2008 and 2018 are more likely, compared with new housing in more affluent areas, to become exposed to high flood risk over their lifetime as a result of climate change. Read more
How to effectively monitor and evaluate the use of climate and disaster risk insurance remains unclear. This paper reviews how these instruments are currently evaluated and finds a need for transparent monitoring and evaluation frameworks to enable greater scrutiny and to assist those funding, demanding or supplying insurance, with evidence from India and Africa. Read more
Flood risk is increasing across the world due to climate change and socio-economic development, calling for a shift from traditional... Read more
This article explores how real estate investors and lenders can assess and manage the physical risks of climate change through... Read more
Drawing on relevant global experience, this paper investigates recent approaches to planned relocation of communities as one possible response to climate change impacts. Read more
This article explores how real estate investors and lenders can assess and manage the physical risks of climate change through... Read more
Recent evidence shows that climate change is leading to irreversible and existential impacts on vulnerable communities and countries across the... Read more
We call for attention to climate change research as a domain of application for multiagent technologies. The multiagent nature of... Read more
Analysing household data from 16 developing countries across Asia and Africa, this paper examines the landscape of access to and sources of financial services. The results shed new light on how insurance uptake could be increased through more tailored and targeted products and services that are designed to meet local needs and requirements in the face of climate and other shocks. Read more
This paper explores the role of national laws in determining the nature of flood risk management (FRM) and in particular the ability to increase flood resilience in the context of climate change. The authors therefore call for a shift in FRM away from post-event activism towards forward-looking planning through an anticipatory resilience approach. Read more
Research - 2019
Disasters such as hurricanes can open a window of opportunity when these act as ‘focusing events’ on the policy agenda. This paper explores the ‘focusing power’ of Hurricane Sandy in the context of New York City during 2012 and beyond. Read more
This paper from the UMFULA programme investigates the potential catalyst role of insurance in adaptation to climate change in a developing country context that is characterised by low insurance penetration and a relatively low level of government planning, analysing the problem from the perspective of insurers in South Africa, Malawi and Tanzania. Read more
We present an empirical study to systemically estimate flooding impacts, linking across scales from individual firms through to the macro... Read more
Research - 2018
This book provides an authoritative insight on the Loss and Damage discourse by highlighting state-of-the-art research and policy linked to... Read more
This chapter asks whether insurance instruments, especially micro- insurance and regional insurance pools, can serve as a risk-reducing and equi-... Read more
This chapter reviews the implications of Loss and Damage (L&D) for decision-making with a special focus on the role of... Read more
Despite being one of the most controversial issues to be recently treated within climate negotiations, Loss and Damage (L&D) has... Read more
The rapid increase in losses from flooding underlines the importance of risk reduction efforts to prevent or at least mitigate... Read more
This papers investigates the process of translating climate risk data into action for the city level. Read more
This research explores the methodological challenges for a national-scale assessment of climate risks through the lens of the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (UKCCRA) process and compares the approaches adopted in the first and second UKCCRA (2011, 2016), while also reflecting on international experiences elsewhere. Read more
This paper reviews the current practice and frontiers of climate change risk assessment, with specific emphasis on the development of adaptation policy that aims to manage those risks. Read more
This paper investigates how partnerships can incentivise flood risk reduction by focusing on the UK public-private partnership on flood insurance. Read more
Abstract The behaviour of individuals, businesses, and government entities before, during, and immediately after a disaster can dramatically affect the... Read more
Flood Re is widely hailed as an innovative approach to disaster risk insurance. This article offers a mixed‐methods evaluation of... Read more
Assessing the dynamics of resilience could help insurers and governments reduce the costs of climate-risk insurance schemes and secure future... Read more
Research - 2017
Abstract Improving society’s ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from flooding requires integrated, anticipatory flood risk management (FRM).... Read more
Abstract Multisectoral partnerships (MSPs) form an increasingly popular and important part of the global climate and disaster risk governance landscape,... Read more
In light of increasing losses from floods many researchers and policy makers are looking for ways to encourage flood risk reduction among communities, business, and households. In this study the authors investigate risk reduction behavior at the household level in three European Union (EU) Member States with fundamentally different insurance and compensation schemes. Read more
Jenkins, K., Surminski, S., Hall, J. and Crick, F. (2017) Assessing surface water flood risk and management strategies under future... Read more
This paper evaluates the UK’s “Flood Re” program, including the roles of the public and private sectors, risk modeling and... Read more
Research - 2016
Surminski, Swenja (2016) Investigating the risk reduction potential of disaster insurance across Europe. The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance... Read more
In Fankhauser, S. and McDermott, T., eds. Economics of Climate Resilient Development. Edward Elgar. Read more
Surminski, S., Style, D., Di Mauro, M., Townsend, A., Baglee, A., Cameron, C., Connell, R., Deyes, K., Haworth, A., Ingirige,... Read more
Thoughts on the introduction of flood re in the United Kingdom. Read more
This paper investigates how partnerships can incentivise flood risk reduction by focusing on the UK public-private partnership on flood insurance. Read more
Adapting to climate change requires the engagement of all actors in society. Until recently, the predominant research focus has been... Read more
While multi-sectoral partnerships (MSPs) now form an increasingly popular and important part of the global climate and disaster risk governance... Read more
Insurance is gaining importance in and beyond the climate negotiations and offers many opportunities to improve climate risk management in... Read more
This book develops a new business case for investment based on the multiple dividends of resilience. This looks beyond only... Read more
Flooding is the costliest natural disaster worldwide. In the UK flooding is listed as a major risk on the National... Read more
Research - 2015
Adapting to climate change requires the engagement of a wide range of stakeholders, including the private sector. However, little is... Read more
This paper presents evidence of current engagement and expectations, from official submissions to the UNFCCC, L&D literature, and relates this to experiences from the fields of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA). Read more
In March 2015, a new international blueprint for disaster risk reduction (DRR) has been adopted in Sendai, Japan, at the... Read more
In this paper we investigate if and how current EU policies influence flood insurance. Read more
In the context of natural disaster insurance and risk reduction this paper looks at how to assess existing insurance offerings and how to design new schemes. Read more
Adapting to climate change requires the engagement of all actors in society. Until recently, predominant research focus has been on... Read more
Research - 2014
This article explores the current understanding of flood insurance with a specific focus on the ability of flood insurance to contribute to direct risk reduction. Read more
By applying our analytical framework we find an absence of formal incentive mechanisms for risk reduction in the existing and proposed Flood Re scheme. We identify the barriers for applying insurance to risk reduction and point to some possible modifications in the Flood Re proposal to deliver a greater link between risk transfer and risk reduction. Read more
A growing paradigm of ‘engaging the private sector’ is noticeable in all areas of climate risk management and adaptation. However,... Read more
Reflection on the current debate on how to link flood insurance and disaster risk reduction in the European Union Read more
This paper reviews the implications of Loss and Damage L&D for decision-making with a special focus on the role of climate science. Read more
Mechler, R. Bouwer, R.M., Linnerooth-Bayer, J., Hochrainer-Stigler, S., Aerts, J.C.J.H., Surminski, S., Williges, K. (2014): Managing unnatural disaster risk from climate... Read more
Abstract The last two decades have witnessed an explosion in the publication of country indexes that measure and rank the... Read more
Working Paper 144 Abstract Flooding is the largest natural disaster risk in England and it is expected to rise even... Read more
Research - 2013
Working Paper 142 Abstract Private sector engagement, particularly in relation to public policy based action and strategy, has become a... Read more
Reference Surminski, S. October 2013. Private-sector adaptation to climate risk. Nature Climate Change, v.3, pp.943-945. Read more
Abstract Risk transfer, including insurance, is widely recognized as a tool for increasing financial resilience to severe weather events such... Read more
Working Paper 119 Abstract Risk transfer, including insurance, is widely recognised as a tool for increasing financial resilience to severe... Read more
In: Orie, M. and Stahel, W. R. (eds.) The Geneva Reports Risk and Insurance Research Insurers’ contributions to disaster reduction—a... Read more
In: Dupuy, P-M., Viñuales, J. E. (eds.) Harnessing foreign investment to promote environmental protection. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, pp.... Read more
Reference Suminski, S. 2014. Flutversicherung – Wie der Staat und die Versicherer zusammenkommen können, Zeitschrift fuer das Versicherungswesen ZfV 04/2014. Read more
Abstract Over the past decade, the increase in insurance demand in the BRICS has been a key driver of global... Read more
Research - 2012
Working Paper 89 Abstract Climate change adaptation is an increasingly important field and will involve a range of actors from... Read more
Working Paper 88 Abstract The last two decades have witnessed an explosion in the publication of country indexes that measure... Read more
Research - 2011
Working Paper 63 Abstract Over the past decade, growth in insurance demand in the BRICS economies has been a key... Read more
Policy
Policy - 2023
This report consists of a submission to the call for evidence by the Environmental Audit Committee on heat resilience and sustainable cooling. Read more
Policy - 2022
This WRI working paper analyzes the full benefits of climate change adaptation investments, divided into three types of dividends. Read more
A submission to the UK Treasury's consultation on the 'Proposals for Reform' under its Financial Regulation Framework Review. Read more
Policy - 2021
A submission based on work from across the Grantham Research Institute to the FCDO's recent call for evidence to inform the UK's forthcoming International Development Strategy. Read more
The Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk (for the third Climate Change Risk Assessment – CCRA3) is a comprehensive review... Read more
Written evidence submitted in 2020 to the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Inquiry on Flooding, whose Fourth Report was published on 8 February 2021. Read more
To address increasing disaster risk, an urgent shift is needed in disaster risk management (DRM), from post-event action towards forward-looking... Read more
Policy - 2020
Part of a comprehensive review of flood risk management in mature economies, this report looks at the system in England, where insurance take-up is high and climate change is taken into account. Read more
Part of a comprehensive review of flood risk management in mature economies, this report looks at the system in Germany. Read more
Based on a major Geneva Association study on flood risk management in mature economies, this report gives an overview of the current systems in the United States, England and Germany. Read more
This is a response to the Bank of England's discussion paper, 'The 2021 biennial exploratory scenario on the financial risks from climate change'. The response has been prepared by authors from the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at LSE, the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and the Environment at Imperial College London, and the University of Edinburgh Business School. Read more
From extreme weather patterns that threaten food security to rising sea levels that mean catastrophe for coastal communities, climate change... Read more
This report provides a strategic overview of the potential effects of the low carbon transition on the general insurance market.... Read more
Policy - 2019
This global review of adaptation laws and policies has been undertaken to understand how adaptation to climate change is governed at the national level. It highlights the common areas of focus and also apparent gaps in these laws and policies, making recommendations for policymakers and further research. Read more
This special collaboration between LSE’s Institute of Global Affairs and the Grantham Research Institute contains contributions from academics, researchers and organisations addressing the strongly interlinked climate threat and the health of the ocean. Read more
This submission was made to the Environment Agency's consultation on its draft strategy for flood and coastal risk management in England, and draws on the Grantham Research Institute's work and expertise over many years in this area. Read more
This paper is a submission to the second review of the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM) on Loss and Damage under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will take place at COP25 in December. The submission looks at the Loss and Damage policy debate, how it relates to other international frameworks and efforts in the areas of mitigation, adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development, and identifies how the WIM can be most effective. Read more
This paper summarises the Institute's submission to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ call for evidence on policy direction to prepare the UK for flooding and coastal erosion, drawing on a decade of work by the Grantham Research Institute with the insurance industry and policymakers addressing issues around climate change and adaptation. Read more
This working paper analyzes the status, types, and evolution of market-based disaster insurance schemes across developing Asia. Well-designed insurance schemes... Read more
Surminski and Täger: Nachhaltigkeit in der Versicherungswirtschaft, Zeitschrift fuer das Versicherungswesen, 04/2019. Read more
Policy - 2018
Surminski, S. and Hankinson, J. In: Schaer, C., Kuruppu, N. (eds) (2018) Private-sector action in adaptation: Perspectives on the role of micro, small... Read more
Policy - 2017
This report is the result of the multi-sectorial and multi-disciplinary networking process and represents the combined effort of more than... Read more
This paper provides suggestions to inform the current debates about flood insurance and climate adaptation in Ireland, proposing a radical shift away from the current approach to collecting and sharing flood risk data. Read more
Summary The UK’s new Flood Re program has supported the private flood insurance market, but also demonstrates that flood insurance... Read more
Policy - 2016
Presentation given as part of the WIPCAD Lecture Series as Potsdam University. Watch a video of this presentation: Read more
The Loss and Damage Network is a network of scientists and practitioners informing the loss and damage debate and includes... Read more
Surminski, S. Nov 2016 – The Political Anthropologist. External link to article Read more
Surminski, S. et.al (2016) Read more
This is a submission by the ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy and the Grantham Research Institute on... Read more
Submission to the call for ‘best practices, challenges and lessons learned from existing financial instruments at all levels that address... Read more
Policy - 2015
This report is an output of an initiative funded by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) at... Read more
Chapter in ‘Future Directions of Consumer Flood Insurance in the UK’, compendium published by Southampton Law School, University of Southampton.... Read more
Policy - 2014
Contributing author to Chapter 15. In: Fields, C. et al. (eds.) IPCC WP2 5th Assessment Report – Impacts, Adaptation and... Read more
Policy - 2013
Briefing Note Headline issue Through the Water Bill, the Government is seeking powers to establish a new scheme for the... Read more
Chartered Insurance Institute, Centenary Future Risk Series: Report 3. Chartered Insurance Institute, London, UK. – Link to publisher Read more
Flooding is the biggest natural disaster risk in England. Flood risk is expected to increase due to climate change and continued development of floodplains for residential and commercial property, which increases the exposure of homes and businesses. Addressing the causes and consequences of flooding is very important and we welcome the recent efforts by the Government and the insurance industry to reform the approach to flood insurance in England. Read more
Summary of key points Insurance is one tool amongst others in a holistic natural disaster risk management strategy. Risk transfer... Read more
Headline issue In 2015, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) expire. Detailed discussions are already underway to inform the post-2015 development... Read more
An Independent National Adaptation Programme for England Read more
Policy - 2012
UNFCCC Technical Report Read more
UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the United Nations University for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS). June 2012. Report no. 1.... Read more
Surminski, S., Lopez, A., et al. March 2012. Current knowledge on relevant methodologies and data requirements, as well as lessons... Read more
Policy - 2011
Negotiators for Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are exploring if and how risk transfer... Read more
Extreme weather events represent the earliest, and in some places most significant, threats to the most vulnerable countries that are... Read more
Books
Books - 2023
This chapter is part of the 'Impact Assessment for Corridors: From Infrastructure to Development Corridors' book published by Development Corridors Partnership. Read more
Books - 2018
This book provides an authoritative insight on the Loss and Damage discourse by highlighting state-of-the-art research and policy linked to... Read more
The rapid increase in losses from flooding underlines the importance of risk reduction efforts to prevent or at least mitigate... Read more
Books - 2016
This book develops a new business case for investment based on the multiple dividends of resilience. This looks beyond only... Read more
Events
Events - 2024
Events - 2022
Events - 2021
Events - 2020
Events - 2019
Events - 2017
News
News - 2024
This article considers whether recent intense flooding in central Europe is linked to climate change. The article includes a quote... Read more
News - 2023
Sara Mehryar and Swenja Surminski were awarded the fifth Jose Maria Sarriegi scientific dissemination prize for the article ‘Investigating flood resilience perceptions and supporting collective decision-making through fuzzy cognitive mapping’,published in 2022 in the journal ofScience of the Total Environment. Read more
News - 2022
In this television news interview Swenja Surminski discusses the implications of the current spate of heatwaves across parts of Europe. Read more
The high quality of research by the London School of Economics and Political Science has been recognised in the results of the... Read more
The Institute’s Head of Adaptation Research Swenja Surminski has been appointed to the Adaptation Committee of the UK’s Climate Change... Read more
This podcast includes an interview with Swenja Surminski who discusses the latest IPCC report and highlights the importance of climate adaptation measures. Read more
This article discusses the threats posed by climate change as outlined in the latest report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel... Read more
News - 2021
In this blog post Swenja Surminski discusses new research which shows that insurance policies can produce useful information on climate risks and help to build effective risk management and decision-making. Read more
The authors of this blog post reflect on what COP26 delivered for the flood prone communities they work with and whether commitments made will be enough to meet the adaptation needs of those at the frontlines of climate change. Read more
In this editorial article for Brink News Swenja Surminski highlights the importance of climate risk management and resilience for public and private sector institutions. Read more
In this short news feature Swenja Surminski explains how Lagos, Jakarta and Mumbai are threatened by climate change due to... Read more
This article reports on how the price of insurance is increasing for some coal and oils sands companies due to the fact that a growing number of insurers are refusing to underwrite companies involved in the production or transportation of fossil fuels. The article includes quotes from Swenja Surminski. Read more
Learning lessons from the devastating flooding in Western Europe and China – and raising awareness of the importance of flood risk reduction activities and the long-term consequences of inaction – should be seen as a necessary investment in our future, write Swenja Surminski and Viktor Rözer, as they draw out particular lessons for Germany. Read more
Imperial Business Podcast discussion with Swenja Surminski. Swenja talks about her varied career of working in academia and the private... Read more
Business decisions taken today will impact both the ability to transition to net-zero and the ability to cope with the physical risks from climate change, writes Swenja Surminski, a lead author on the Third UK Climate Change Risk Assessment being launched today. Read more
This article in The Independent discusses a new report which says that new homes built in poorer neighbourhoods could face... Read more
This article in The Guardian reports on a study showing that flood risk, as a result of climate change, will... Read more
News - 2020
In this interview with Doug Parson, host of Cimpatico Studio's Climate Adaptation Channel, Dr. Swenja Surminski shares how communities and businesses can tailor flood mitigation and adaptation measures to achieve more than just their flood resilience goals Read more
Swenja Surminski discusses the growing economic threat from floods and what countries can do about it in this video report.... Read more
A wide range of success criteria are currently used to evaluate climate and disaster risk insurance. Architesh Panda and Swenja Surminski argue that transparent monitoring and evaluation frameworks are needed to enable greater scrutiny and to assist those funding, demanding or supplying insurance instruments. Read more
Jonathan Boston, Architesh Panda and Swenja Surminski suggest a series of principles to guide pre-emptive, fair and effective funding systems for planned relocation in response to slow-onset climate change impacts. Read more
Although current risk reduction attention is on COVID-19, climate change-related hazards such as flooding continue to have impacts around the world. This commentary evaluates new announcements on flood protection for England and reports on work by the Grantham Research Institute and partners on the Suffolk coast. Read more
The COVID-19 crisis demonstrates the need to invest much more in pre-disaster risk reduction and preparedness for a range of risks, including climate change and its accompanying hazards such as flooding. But what, asks Swenja Surminski, does this kind of investment need to consider in practice – and why is ‘resilience’ not already widely taken into account when making policy and investment decisions? Read more
Swenja Surminski discusses the impact of climate change on the UK housing sector. In this interview with Future Housing she outlines three major risk categories facing the sector: physical, transition and litigation and liability risk. She also discusses the importance of ensuring that post-COVID-19 recovery measures take account of climate targets. Read more
In this LSE Podcast Bob Ward and Swenja Surminski discuss whether bold action can help to avert the climate crisis. Read more
The Grantham Research Institute has contributed to a new report on the transition to a low-carbon economy, published by Lloyd’s... Read more
The severe flooding over the last two weeks in parts of Wales and England which destroyed homes, businesses and livelihoods... Read more
In this interview for Al Jazeera News Swenja Surminski discusses the potential impact of rising sea levels on coastal areas. Report starts approximately 10 minutes into video clip. Read more
Swenja Surminski outlines things insurance and risk management can do to help build a more resilient future. Read more
News - 2019
Rebecca Byrnes and Swenja Surminski discuss their new report on addressing the impacts of climate change. Read more
This webinar looks into some of the key findings from ShareAction/AODP’s latest practical guide: Insuring a low-carbon future. ShareAction’s Peter Uhlenbruch, the author of the guide, is joined by insurance and climate expert, Dr Swenja Surminski from the LSE’s Grantham Research Institute, to share her views. Read more
Rebecca Byrnes and Swenja Surminski outline progress of actions taken under the Warsaw International Mechanisms on Loss and Damage - which is designed to help countries deal with the harm caused by climate change - and how to enhance its effectiveness, as the COP25 climate conference gears up to reviewing the mechanism in December. Read more
Adapting to climate change is going to cost many trillions. Yet so far, only a trickle of money is being put towards it. What is causing this baffling blockage in financial markets, and how can it be unlocked? Read more
Extending climate risk disclosure to customers could yield a range of benefits for insurers, customers and the climate, but the industry will need to deepen the relationships that it holds with customers in order to achieve this, write Swenja Surminski and Sam Unsworth in this post for the Sustainable Finance Leadership series. Read more
Commercial Risk, 30 April 2019 Read more
News - 2018
“Loss and Damage from Climate Change. Concepts, Methods and Policy Options”, which was recently launched at LSE, is now available... Read more
Policies are lagging behind ambition when it comes to the UK response to climate change says Swenja Surminski. Read more
This commentary reviews how both the insurance sector and its partners could build on the growing momentum and overcome the continuing barriers to deep implementation of sustainable insurance practices over the coming decade. Read more
As extreme weather events become more frequent, chemical and pharmaceutical producers are taking steps to fend them off in future Read more
Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society A has published a themed issue on ‘Advances in risk assessment for climate change... Read more
News - 2017
Oxfam views and voices, 4 July 2018 Read more
Irish Independent, 9 May 2017 Read more
Irish Examiner, 8 May 2018 Read more
News - 2016
BBC, 20 July Read more
Florence Crick and Swenja Surminski outline ways in which property developers could help reduce flood insurance premiums. Read more
Insurance is not always the most suitable solution when it comes to paying for the impacts of climate change writes Swenja Surminski Read more
The government and the insurance industry have recently launched Flood Re, a scheme that aims to make home insurance affordable to those living in a flood risk area. But that alone does not solve the problem, writes Swenja Surminski. Read more
Enhance video interview with Swenja Surminski, London School of Economics from Arctik sprl on Vimeo. Read more
Financial Times, 8 February Read more
City A.M., 8 February Read more
Financial World , Feb 2016 . pp. 49-51 Read more
Swenja Surminski looks at how the insurance industry is having to adapt to cope with the challenges of possible climate change and highlights some of the problems it faces Read more
News - 2015
Jennifer Steeves and Swenja Surminski reflect on findings of their recent research into what companies are already doing in terms of climate change adaptation. Read more
The United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) has just concluded in Sendai, Japan. Swenja Surminski reports on the final agreement. Read more
A series of four short commentaries by Swenja Surminski from The United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) continues in Sendai, Japan. Read more
A new perspective on disaster risk management and development Read more
The devastating cyclone in Vanatu last weekend is a stark reminded of the urgency to make progress in the field of disaster risk reduction. Nonetheless, the scenes in Sendai this week are not too dissimilar from the marathon climate change negotiations we have come to expect each December. Read more
Risk assessment is at the heart of any risk management effort. In the context of disaster and climate risks advances are being made to improve our understanding of current and future risks. Read more
2015 could become a milestone year. A number of international policy processes culminate this year, offering a chance to integrate disaster risk reduction, climate change policy and poverty reduction more closely. Read more
News - 2014
Nexus – Research blog of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Read more
Enhance – Partnership for Risk Reduction Read more
Anticipatory action and preparedness is much more economic than providing disaster aid. However, there have recently been many missed opportunities... Read more
News - 2013
LSE British Politics and Policy Blog, 20 September 2013 Read more
News - 2012
LSE’s research staff argue that the commercial viability of crop insurance must be considered before private insurance companies can play an effective role in climate change adaptation. Read more
Post – subscription is required. Read more