The European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the European intergovernmental organization specializing in weather and climate forecasting, has signed a memorandum of understanding with international insurance company and asset manager Generali Group to expand the use of quality-assured climate information to support climate risk resilience across Europe.
The agreement strengthens the existing relationship between ECMWF and Generali, which has been a long-term user of ECMWF data and services.
Through this collaboration, Generali Group Climate Center will work with the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), both services provided by ECMWF on behalf of the European Commission.
ECMWF and Generali said the collaboration reflects the growing need for reliable climate and atmospheric data as the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events continues to increase.
According to these organizations, the impact of natural disasters has become increasingly severe in recent years, resulting in more than $500 billion in insured and uninsured losses worldwide.
The two organizations said the insurance industry plays an increasingly important role in supporting recovery from climate-related events, while also contributing to prevention, preparedness and adaptation strategies aimed at reducing long-term risks.
Under the collaboration, ECMWF and Generali will work to improve understanding of climate-related risks and air quality issues, while encouraging wider and more consistent use of climate and health information. ECMWF notes that this initiative is consistent with its public service mission, under which Copernicus climate and atmospheric data sets are made publicly available.
Generali said its contribution to the partnership will be led through the Group Climate Centre, which is dedicated to applying climate expertise to insurance solutions aimed at improving resilience and closing the protection gap.
The agreement also builds on earlier collaborations between ECMWF and Generali, including last year’s involvement of C3S and CAMS as scientific partners in the Ballon Generali de Paris program led by Aérophile.
ECMWF and Generali said knowledge sharing and ongoing dialogue on the application of Copernicus climate and atmospheric information will form a key part of the partnership.
“This collaboration builds a bridge between publicly funded climate science and the insurance industry,” commented ECMWF Director General Florian Pappenberger.
“By engaging with Generali and its Climate Centre, we will better understand how Copernicus climate and atmospheric information is used in practice, working closely with our member states and partner countries to help guide the development of services within ECMWF’s remit. For us, open, quality-assured datasets support better risk awareness and more consistent decision-making across Europe.”
ECMWF and Generali said the collaboration will create a structured framework for discussions on how climate and atmospheric data can be used in insurance markets and how these data sets can continue to be developed to meet operational and decision-making needs.
The collaboration also combines ECMWF’s expertise in numerical weather prediction and operational forecasting with advanced climate datasets and modeling capabilities delivered through CAMS and C3S.
ECMWF and Generali said the partnership aims to support clearer interpretation and communication of climate and atmospheric information and help encourage consistent application of data, while recognizing the responsibilities of national services.
Key areas of collaboration include using quality-assured Copernicus climate and atmospheric information to improve understanding of climate risks and their underlying causes. ECMWF and Generali also plan to exchange views on insurance industry use cases and decision-making requirements to support the development of future services within the scope of ECMWF’s public mission.
Additionally, the organizations stated that they aim to promote evidence-based communication through transparent methodologies and publicly accessible data sets to reduce the potential for misunderstandings.
Marco Sesana, Managing Director of Generali Group, added: “As climate change increasingly disrupts global value chains, often with severe consequences for communities, improving our understanding of extreme weather events is critical to developing innovative solutions that can build resilience and help close protection gaps.
“Generali Group Climate Center is proud to work with the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts to enhance critical climate insights and translate them into practical applications in the insurance industry and beyond. Our aim is to use shared expertise and specialized capabilities to develop forward-looking solutions that protect people, businesses and societies from the growing risks of climate change.”
The partnership complements its wider responsibilities for the implementation of the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service on behalf of the European Commission, providing open access climate and atmospheric information for use by the public and private sectors.