Climate Risk Policy, Governance & Strategies

Working towards a world that provides financial protection against climate extremes and empowers people to form resilient societies

The Climate Policy & Governance team is committed to advancing several key objectives in the realm of climate resilience and protection of people. Firstly, we are focused on enhancing international cooperation, governance, and institutions to better safeguard people who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Secondly, we support climate-vulnerable countries in their efforts to develop and implement Climate Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance (CDRFI) approaches. By assisting countries and communities in strategic planning, we can help them prepare for and respond to climate-related disasters more effectively. Thirdly, we are dedicated to amplifying the voices of affected communities by increasing their capacity and ensuring their participation in national and international CDRFI processes. Multi-stakeholder partnerships are essential to ensure that decisions made about the protection of people are informed by their perspectives and needs. Lastly, we are actively engaging with the insurance industry to encourage meaningful contributions to financial protection measures for climate-vulnerable populations. By fostering collaboration and creating an enabling environment, we can promote innovative solutions that enhance resilience and support those most at risk in the face of climate change.

Current research questions and areas of work include:

  • International regime building: Evaluating the effectiveness of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in addressing loss and damage, designing funding arrangements, and exploring technical regimes for Climate Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance (CDRFI) jointly with the V20 Group of Finance Ministers
  • National-level strategies: Developing integrated governance approaches, risk-informed policies, and innovative finance mechanisms to bridge the protection gap and enhance resilience
  • Collaborative governance models: Promoting collaboration among stakeholders, including public, private, civil society, and academia, to foster equitable, gender-sensitive, and human rights-based approaches in disaster finance

In addition the climate policy & governance team facilitates UNU’s presence at the UNFCCC including the annual climate summits. It also convenes necessary processes and meetings for the association of MCII.