Podcast

Episode 19: Intersection between risk, resilience and insurance featuring Miami-Dade and Howden

Mar 2024

About This Episode

Speaking about the intersection between risk, resilience and insurance, Lauren Sorkin welcomes Galen Treuer, Climate Tech and Economic Innovation Manager for Miami-Dade County and Peter Adams, Associate Director at Howden Group Holdings. The episodes takes us through the experience of Miami-Dade county within the Global Risk and Resilience Fellowship which connects insurance professionals with city senior leaders to develop resilience-building risk transfer solutions. Under the guidance of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Chief Resilience Officer Patricia Gómez, Miami-Dade has leveraged true inter-disciplinary collaborations as a new normal for addressing complex climate challenges and towards the implementation of its Resillient305 partnership.

The Speakers

Dr. Galen Treuer

Peter Adams

Lauren Sorkin

About Dr. Galen Treuer

Dr. Galen Treuer leads Climate Tech and Economic Innovation for Miami-Dade County. He works with the Mayor, Chief Resilience Officer, Chief Heat Officers, and the private sector to pursue the County’s climate resilience goals and catalyze regional investment in blue, green, and climate technology by bringing together a network of entrepreneurs, investors, businesses, academics, and community leaders.

Dr. Treuer has worked on climate policy and solutions for over a decade and holds a Ph.D. in environmental science and policy from the University of Miami and a B.A. in economics from Oberlin College.

About Peter Adams

Peter Adams is an Associate Director in the Climate Risk and Resilience team at Howden Group based in New York City. He has worked for over a decade to address climate risk through policy, design, and investment in the public and private sectors. For six years he was a Senior Policy Advisor in the New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice.

He also led on resilient infrastructure design at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He has consulted on the assessment and management of climate risk with companies, cities, and countries globally. He earned his Masters in Geography from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec.

About Lauren Sorkin

As Executive Director of the Resilient Cities Network, Lauren oversees global efforts to strengthen cities in the face of the complex and interconnected challenges they face. Leading a Team of professionals in Mexico City, New York, Rotterdam and Singapore in collaboration with Chief Resilience Officers in more than 40 countries, she drove the co-design process to launch Global Resilient Cities Network as an independent city-led network organization. 

Lauren serves as an advisor and spokesperson on urban resilience, women’s leadership sustainable finance, climate risk, stakeholder engagement, and urbanization trends. She is on the Advisory Board of several sustainability focused initiatives including Food Tank, the Singapore Sustainability Summit (S3), and Natural Capital.

Previously with the Asian Development Bank, Lauren led the Bank’s first ever climate change investment plan before moving to the ADB’s Vietnam Office to mainstream climate risks and opportunities in the country’s US$7 billion portfolio. Before joining the ADB, she worked with USAID to implement clean energy, climate change and conservation projects in Asia, Africa and South America. She has published work on biofuels, climate change, public speaking for social impact, infant mortality and HIV/AIDS.

Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Tufts University and a Master of Science in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics. She lives in Singapore with her husband and two daughters where she can be found practicing contemporary dance, yoga and singing while working towards a better future.

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Urban Exchange Episode 30: Norfolk – Building coastal resilience before the storm

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Join us as we explore the City of Norfolk’s coastal resilience journey with this episode of the Urban Exchange Podcast, supported by Sand Technologies, where hosts Paul Wilson and Nate Echeverria are joined by two leading voices from the City of Norfolk,  – Kyle Spencer, Chief Resilience Officer, and Dr. Paul Robinson, Executive Director of RISE Resilience Innovations. Together, they unpack the unique challenges and groundbreaking solutions that are shaping Norfolk’s response to rising sea levels, recurrent flooding, and the evolving demands of urban coastal living. Listeners will discover how Norfolk, a city defined by its rich maritime history and extensive coastline, is pioneering holistic approaches to flood management and community resilience. The conversation explores the city’s journey from securing transformative federal grants to implementing large-scale infrastructure projects, blending traditional “grey” solutions with innovative “green” infrastructure and nature-based strategies. Hear how partnerships with organisations like RISE are driving adaptation through real-time data, digital tools, and even 3D-printed oyster reefs that harness the power of nature to protect the shoreline. The episode also delves into the complexities of flood insurance, the importance of making coverage accessible and affordable, and the creative challenges that have led to new models and technologies for […]

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