AXA and Luiss University join forces to analyse the political, social and ethical challenges of climate change and the role of insurance in the green transition.
The new “AXA Research Lab on Climate Change, Risk and Justice”, established at the University and headed by Professor Gianfranco Pellegrino of the Department of Political Science, was presented.
The laboratory arises out of cooperation among Luiss University, AXA Research Fund (the AXA Group's global philanthropic initiative), AXA Italia and AXA Investment Managers.
The aim is to analyse the regulatory, political and moral aspects of climate risk insurance, actively contributing to the public debate with scientific evidence and concrete proposals for inclusive and sustainable climate justice.
At the heart of the research, three key questions:
- How can the private and financial sector contribute to a just transition to a net-zero economy?
- How can low-income communities be included in climate change adaptation efforts?
- What are the distributional impacts of climate change and how can insurance contribute to reducing inequalities?
During the launch event, Professor Pellegrino's keynote speech on “Climate Change and the Ethics of Just Insurance” kicked off a debate on how to build a fair and solidaristic insurance market capable of aiding the fight against climate change through inclusive protection models, green investments and integrated public policies.
The event opened with welcoming remarks from Paolo Boccardelli, Rector of Luiss University, Lisanne Raderschall, Senior Partnerships and Development Manager, AXA Research Fund, and Federico Eichberg, Chief of Staff, Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy. Subsequently, there was a panel discussion featuring: Giovanni Orsina, Head of Luiss University’s Department of Political Science; Maria Siclari, General Manager, ISPRA; Letizia d'Abbondanza, Chief Customer and External Communication Officer, AXA Italia; Pietro Martorella, Co-Head of the Core Client Group, AXA IM; and Enrico Giovannini, Full Professor of Economic Statistics and Sustainable Development at Tor Vergata University of Rome and co-founder & Scientific Director of the Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS).
The Lab, which is scheduled to last three years, aims to foster studies that can influence public policy, generate synergies between the public and private sectors, and contribute to closing the growing climate protection gap in our societies.