The UN Global Sustainable Insurance Summit, Insuring a Resilient and Sustainable Transition, will take place on 16–17 September 2026 at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in Dublin, Ireland, with both in-person and online participation.

Convened by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Summit will bring together leaders and senior executives from insurance regulatory and supervisory authorities, insurers and reinsurers, policymakers, real economy stakeholders, academia and civil society.

Held during Ireland’s EU Presidency and Climate Finance Week Ireland, the Summit will explore how the insurance sector can address the growing insurability challenge amid rising physical climate risks, strengthen resilience and financial stability, advance transition planning, integrate nature into risk management and underwriting, and help accelerate a resilient and sustainable transition of the real economy in the lead-up to COP31 in Türkiye.

Key sessions include:

  • Tackling the insurability challenge across geographies
  • Scaling resilience and supporting financial stability
  • Transition plans: Linking market practice, supervision and public policy
  • Fireside chat: The UN Systematic Observations Financing Facility
  • Integrating nature into risk management, underwriting and supervision
  • From COP30 to COP31: Amplifying sustainable insurance

Engl
16 September 2026
Time (GMT)
18:00  Networking reception 
19:00 Dinner and special award on sustainability leadership in the global insurance regulatory and supervisory community  

  • Nomfundo “Fundi” Tshazibana, Deputy Governor, South African Reserve Bank; CEO, Prudential Authority of South Africa & Chair, UNDP Sustainable Insurance Forum
  • Ricardo Lara, Insurance Commissioner, California Department of Insurance

 

17 September 2026
Time (GMT) Session
08:30 Arrival and refreshments 
08:55 UNEP Antitrust Statement
09:00 Opening remarks

  • Butch Bacani, Head of Insurance, UN Environment Programme
  • Seána Cunningham, Director of Insurance, Central Bank of Ireland
09:15 Keynote address 

  • Laurence Tubiana, Special Envoy to Europe, COP30 Presidency and CEO, European Climate Foundation
09:30 Tackling the insurability challenge across geographies amid rising physical risk 

  • Matthew Swabey, Head of Climate, Aviva
  • Ricardo Lara, Insurance Commissioner, California Department of Insurance
  • Petra Hielkema, Chairperson, European Insurance & Occupational Pensions Authority
  • Fundi Tshazibana, Deputy Governor, South African Reserve Bank; CEO, Prudential Authority of South Africa & Chair, UNDP Sustainable Insurance Forum
  • Pauline Lowe, Director, Government Affairs and Climate Policy, Zurich Insurance Group
10:45 Break
11:00 Scaling resilience: How can the insurance community catalyze resilience across the system and support financial stability? 

  • Liz Henderson, Global Head of Climate Risk Advisory, Aon
  • Dan Curtis, Head, Data and General Insurance Risk Division, Prudential Regulation Authority, Bank of England
  • Hannah Grant, Senior Advisor, Global Shield against Climate Risks
  • Gerry Cross, Secretary-General, International Association of Insurance Supervisors
  • Linda-Eling Lee, Founding Director & Head, MSCI Institute 
12:00 Transition plans: Linking market practice, supervision and public policy 

  • Caroline Portel, Group Head of Sustainability, AXA
  • Heather McKay, UK Sustainable Finance Lead, E3G
  • Rita D’Ecclesia, Member of the Board of Directors, Italian Institute for the Supervision of Insurance (IVASS)
  • Connor Gray, Sustainability Manager, The Fidelis Partnership 
  • Nick Robins, Senior Director, Finance & Private Sector, World Resources Institute
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Fireside chat: The UN Systematic Observations Financing Facility 

  • Markus Repnik, Director, UN Systematic Observations Financing Facility 
14:20 Integrating nature into risk management, underwriting and supervision

  • Esther Egeter, Corporate Sustainability Manager, a.s.r.
  • Thomas Viegas, Group Nature Lead, Aviva & Co-Chair, UN Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI) Working Group for Nature
  • Rory McElligott, Head, Climate Change, Central Bank of Ireland
  • Robert Muir-Wood, Chief Research Officer, Moody’s RMS
  • Regula Hess, Deputy Head, Sustainable Finance & Financial Sector Engagement, WWF-Switzerland
  • Bettina Roth, Chief Executive Officer, Isle of Man Financial Services Authority
15:15 From COP30 to COP31: Amplifying sustainable insurance 

  • Gustavo Brum, Chief of Staff, Brazilian Insurance Confederation (CNseg)
  • Ӧzgür Obali, Secretary-General, Insurance Association of Türkiye
  • Ruth NicGinneá, Head of Advocacy, Public Affairs and Communications, Insurance Ireland 
15:55 Closing remarks 

 

 

 

Royal College of Physicians of Ireland

6 Kildare St

Dublin 2, D02 E434, Ireland