Climate change statement

The IFoA recognises that the climate is changing globally at an unprecedented rate as a result of human activity. This change presents ecological, social, economic and financial risks. The potential impacts of climate change are global and systemic. As well as highly disruptive physical changes there are significant implications for the entire financial system.

We are a profession specialising in risk management, and climate change is one of the greatest risks facing our world today. Mitigating this risk is urgent. Future outcomes are uncertain, but the best value insurance premium that society can pay is to reduce our emissions today in order to avoid the irreversible consequences of unmitigated climate change tomorrow.

The IFoA supports the aim of the Paris Agreement to limit climate change to an increase of substantially under 2C from pre-industrial temperatures and recognises that in order for there to be a reasonable probability of achieving this aim there must be a transition to a global economy that has no net greenhouse gas emissions (“net zero”) by 2050.

The IFoA will:

  • Advocate for the development of consistent policy frameworks worldwide that aim to achieve the Paris Agreement objectives through a just transition – that is, one that seeks to ensure that the substantial benefits are shared widely while also supporting those who stand to lose economically
  • Advocate for the development of effective methods of incentivising reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon pricing
  • Use the actuarial skill set and influence to help equip the wider global financial services markets to accelerate a just and sustainable transition to net zero
  • Support actuaries in their understanding of climate risks and opportunities and encourage their incorporation into actuarial advice
  • Advocate for better disclosure of consistent and robust information about climate risk by corporates and other market participants
  • Support collaborations both between its members and with other organisations to help align national and global financial systems with a just, net zero, sustainable economy
  • Develop and implement a plan to be operationally net zero by 2030

The IFoA is a signatory of the Green Finance Education Charter and a supporter of the FSB’s Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures, the UN’s Principles for Responsible Investment, and the UN’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance. We will continue to work with these and other organisations to better align the finance system with a net zero ambition. We are confident that all actuaries will play their part in leading change in the financial system to serve the public interest in the management of climate-related risk.