Insuring the Future: why insurance for accelerating natural hazards is no longer fit for purpose, and options for reform
Description
Te Uru Institute for Sustainability and the Centre for Sustainability Research have joined forces to bring you this FREE public talk on a topic of great importance.
Climate change-related risks and damage are accelerating globally, reducing the affordability and availability of property insurance in many countries, including Aotearoa.
In the main, the Natural Hazards Commission - Toka Tū Ake (formerly EQC) does not cover climate-related perils, such as flooding, coastal erosion and sea level rise. Nor does it have a mandate to invest in precautionary adaptation measures.
It is thus no longer fit for purpose.
Drawing on the experience of other OECD countries and proposals in his recent book, Insuring the Future: Reimagining Home Insurance in Aotearoa, Jonathan Boston ONZM will explore the options for reforming natural hazards insurance in Aotearoa to enhance our adaptive capacity, climate justice and societal resilience.
Lineup
Jonathan Boston
Jonathan Boston, ONZM, is an Emeritus Professor of Public Policy in the School of Government at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington. His research interests include climate change policy and anticipatory governance. Aside from his academic roles, he has been employed by several government departments and agencies and served on various advisory groups, including the Expert Working Group on Managed Retreat (2022-23). In 2025 he was appointed an Honorary Senior Fellow of the Helen Clark Foundation. During July-September 2026 he was a visiting researcher at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment within the London School of Economics. Recent books include A Radically Different World: Preparing for Climate Change (BWB, 2024) and Insuring the Future: Reimagining Home Insurance in Aotearoa (Te Herenga Waka University Press, 2026).
FAQs
- Do I need to register if I only want to attend online?
Yes - only people who have registered will receive the Zoom link.
- I can no longer attend in person, can I attend online instead?
Yes absolutely - just email us before 11am on Thursday 19 November and we will change your ticket type.
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