Flood Re CEO Bord urges COP26 to prioritise resilience to flood risk

Andy Bord (pictured), chief executive officer of  Flood Re, has told an audience of more than 600 delegates at COP26 that there must be a continued long-term commitment to flood defences including the role of natural flood management.

Speaking at the World Climate Foundation, part of COP26 in Glasgow on November 7, Bord said that society cannot allow the problem of flooding to continue to get worse. Homes need to be built, but they need to be built in the right place and in the right way, he stressed.

Bord took part in a panel discussion for the World Climate Foundation, as part of COP26, on the theme of ‘Investing and Insuring for Resilience – Managing Risks and Redirecting Capital into Resilience Enhancing Investments’.

The event was moderated by Michaela Koller, Director General, Insurance Europe and the panel members also included: Michael Szoenyi, Flood Resilience Programme Lead, Zurich; Jon Wood, Senior Client Manager, Aon Public/Private Enterprise; and Astrid Zwick, Head of the InsuResilience Secretariat.

Speaking after of the panel event, Bord said: “Climate change is happening now - and it is only going to get worse. I applaud the efforts taking place in Glasgow to reduce emissions to meet net zero, but we need to urgently adapt now to the increased frequency of flooding and extreme weather events. Resilience is not being prioritised. There is a growing need for continued investment not only in flood defences, but in measures to adapt homes and communities to make them more resilient to rising temperatures and an increased risk of flooding.”

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