Finance and climate adaptation

A new visual story about climate adaptation highlights the opportunities for collaboration between financial institutions and the public sector. Based on 20 interviews with financial institutions and public sector bodies, we analysed the role of financial institutions in climate adaptation as part of our Finance and Climate Adaptation project. We have now delivered the final product: a visual story that highlights the actions that financial institutions can take to make its assets in the Netherlands more climate-proof, and how they can optimize their collaboration with the public sector.

NextGreen developed this visual story together with Climate-Proof Together (Samen Klimaatbestendig) and the Dutch Association of Investors for Sustainable Development (VBDO). Climate Risk Services carried out an expert review of the results, together with the interviewees. The visual story is a series of infographics that includes explanations and examples. It provides an overview of current developments in the field of climate adaptation, both among financial institutions and in the public sector, which are both targeting their efforts towards encouraging climate adaptation among the same stakeholder groups, such as companies, house owners, real estate owners and housing corporations. This analysis of the sector has led to several recommendations for how to accelerate the process of climate adaptation such as better coordination between financial institutions and governments which is beneficial in areas such as risk analysis, communication and financial incentives. We have also added a glossary in order to start creating a shared language around climate adaptation, which will facilitate the dialogue between financial institutions and public bodies.

In addition the visual story, NextGreen and the VBDO have written an internal memorandum which has been shared with the interviewees. Furthermore, some of the insights from this project have been included in the documentary The Climate Resilient City Explained for the City Deal on Climate Adaptation, which was screened for the first time at the Climate Adaptation Summit (25-26 January).

The results have been well received by the interviewees and form a good basis for a possible follow-up.

From January 2021 onwards, Anne-Marie Bor from NextGreen began working part-time for Climate-Proof Together. Her work there involves connecting with financial institutions, both on invitation and on her own initiative.

Read more and take a look at the visual story on the project page Analysis of climate adaptation in the finance sector.