The world is in the grip of climate crisis.
Yet, together, we still have the power to shape a better future for everyone.
Welcome
Getting the planet ‘climate-ready’ means more than just cutting emissions, though this is crucial. It demands that governments and businesses lead the way in helping people, families and communities adapt to the changes we already know are in store.
Transcript
00:00:03:15
David Schofield
Hello, Amanda.
So, we're making some announcements about our work on climate change. Can you tell us some more about it?
00:00:10:02
Amanda Blanc
I can. It's a really exciting day, actually. So today we are publishing our first ever Climate-Ready Index, which is, I think, pretty unique. And we're very excited about it because it will tell us and the larger countries in the world, the G7 plus Ireland, where we are in terms of our plan to be ready for the effects of climate change.
So it's a really, really exciting day today. And of course, we plan to now do this every year.
00:00:39:20
David Schofield
So why are we doing this?
00:00:41:07
Amanda Blanc
Well, as you know, Aviva has set itself a very challenging target to be Net Zero by 2040. And we think that's absolutely vital. And we want to make sure that we play our part in making sure that everybody is as ready as they possibly can be. So whilst I get that it's not a competition, and we don't want to create competition between these large countries, we do think that being Climate-Ready by 2030 is really important if we're going to hit the Paris climate goals of 2050.
So, we want people to start engaging in this topic and really start thinking about what it is they're going to do, you know, not in ten years time, but actually now so that we've got a really, really good Climate-Ready plan by 2030, so that we can actually make sure that we get the actions in place. For Aviva by 2040, but more globally by 2050.
What we would really like is for the UK to be the most Climate-Ready large economy by 2030.
So, David, you've been really involved in creating this index and well done for that. What does it tell us now about the UK?
00:01:49:11
David Schofield
Well, the Climate-Ready Index brings together globally recognised data sources and some insight that we commissioned ourselves. And it looks holistically at what it means to be Climate-Ready. And of course, that's got carbon reduction in there, but also biodiversity, adaptation... So, are we building resilient infrastructure? Are we investing, are we innovating around the opportunities that climate change brings?
It has a social element about how we're supporting families and businesses to prepare and the global element about how overseas development budgets can support this big challenge we all face. Now, the UK does pretty well. We come in third, Germany first, France, second. We're third. No one is getting more than 60 out of 100 though. Lots of work to do.
The UK does lead on carbon reduction. So, with our first-out-of-the-gate 2050 net zero commitment that the UK made, that's fantastic. But we have to translate that into action and deliver on those promises. But the UK scores well. Top, in fact, on carbon reduction. We're weaker on biodiversity, we're weaker on adaptation and community resilience. And quite surprisingly, we are seventh on business readiness.
That means we've got the biggest gap of all of the G7 and Ireland between businesses who say they care and they're concerned about climate, but actually acting on it? We're not seeing that translate in the UK yet. So that's a big challenge and a big opportunity to help businesses get Net Zero plans in place, get resilience plans so they're ready for extreme weather or supply chain disruption.
We make a number of recommendations and calls on government in the report, and I think we've all got a role to play across the sectors in helping families and businesses get Climate-Ready.
00:03:30:20
Amanda Blanc
And so is the report practical, David? Are we going to be able to say to businesses, to governments, the things that we think that they should do?
00:03:39:07
David Schofield
It has a range of practical suggestions in there. Both for governments and for other actors. What we're trying to do is start a conversation, really provoke collaboration and action on these issues. And Aviva's going to be coming out with a range of things that we want to contribute as part of our collective action in the UK to get Climate-Ready.
00:03:59:21
Amanda Blanc
And we're going to be producing this report every year.
00:04:01:24
David Schofield
That's right. We'll be able to track progress. What gets measured gets done.
00:04:05:03
Amanda Blanc
I'm a big fan of that. So I'm really, really excited about it. I mean, I think this is a great day and it is really, I think, vitally important that we think about how we get ourselves as Aviva Climate-Ready, but also how we can contribute to the community and the world in which we live in to help them to get ready.
00:04:20:18
David Schofield
Absolutely.
00:04:21:15
Amanda Blanc
So I'm incredibly proud that Aviva is doing this and we really want to play our part. But of course we're only one company, so we've got to do what we can to encourage others to do the same. So I guess for more information, we should go on to aviva.com, and watch this space. Lots more to come.
At the most basic level, we have chosen to act in the face of the climate crisis because we live on this planet, just like everyone else. We want to push ourselves, and others, to take concrete steps towards a fairer society and a more sustainable world.
The Climate-Ready Index
The climate crisis is one of the greatest and most urgent threats facing our planet. Tackling the crisis requires countries to be as climate-ready as they can be.
As part of our longstanding commitment to climate action Aviva has released our first Climate-Ready Index to provide a simple measure for how influential countries are progressing on vital climate mitigation, resilience and adaptation actions. We want this Index to work as a tool for starting conversations, creating a platform to share and collaborate on ideas and solutions to accelerate progress.
Climate-Ready Index Results
The Index measures the G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States) and Ireland because these are some of the richest and most influential in the world, so have a responsibility to lead the way. Many are, but there is much progress still to be made.
Climate-Ready Index (One-Pager)
Climate-Ready Index (Detailed)
Overall Ranking
Rank
Country
Score
4th
Japan
55.36
5th
Ireland
52.90
6th
Italy
50.07
7th
USA
46.81
8th
Canada
45.18
At best the top three nations only score around 65 points out of a possible 100 for being climate-ready. No one country came out top in all measures. There is great scope for countries to learn from each other as we all aspire to improve. Being climate-ready is not an end point to be reached. It is an ongoing process of understanding, acting, and doubling down on the changes needed in the decades to come to protect our world and ourselves.
The Climate-Ready Model
The model has four key pillars of measurement. These are divided into eleven weighted factors to determine a country’s total score. This model is not intended as a full diagnostic. For further details we recommend consulting the primary sources of the measure.
Emissions
& Mitigation
Environment
& Adaptation
Economy
& Business
Society
& Community
Emissions & Mitigation
Relates to national-level net-zero targets, progress towards targets and the ambition of future policies.
Climate Performance
Description:
Globally-recognised measure of national policy and delivery on wide-ranging climate change goals. Measures include green house gas (GHG) emissions, renewable energy, energy use and climate policy.
Rationale:
Mitigation of climate change through emissions reduction is critical in limiting the impact it will have on the world and our communities.
Measure:
Climate Change Performance Index
Environment & Adaptation
Addresses the consequences of climate change, including both the natural and human environment, and the importance of fair and universal adaptation measures.
Adaptation Capability
Description:
Measures the vulnerability of countries to climate change impacts (food, water, health, ecosystem service, human habitat and infrastructure), and the capability to respond (economic readiness, governance readiness and social readiness).
Rationale:
Alongside work to mitigate against climate change, it is imperative that countries and communities adapt infrastructure and ways of life to be able to live within the reality of a more unstable world.
Biodiversity
Description:
Measures the effects of habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation in ecosystems of each country, relative to natural local biodiversity levels.
Rationale:
Strong biodiversity is an engine of positive impact on climate change: it actively plays a role in sequestering carbon from the atmosphere, can help guard against the impacts of climate events like floods, and is a signal of a healthy environment.
Measure:
Biodiversity Habitat Index (EPI)
Adaptation Implementation
Description:
A checklist of best-practice actions and accountability measures around National Adaptation Plans.
Rationale:
Ensuring that adaptation measures are put in place is crucial for protecting homes and infrastructure from the impacts of climate change. There is currently far less visibility on national-level adaptation plans and progress than on mitigation, and better measures will be necessary in future.
Measure:
National Adaptation Plan Checklist
Economy & Business
Addresses the importance of national economies and businesses in climate-readiness, at a national and global level.
Insurance Contribution
Description:
Non-life insurance penetration contribution to GDP. This is the best measure of insurance uptake we have today.
Rationale:
Insurance is an important part of a country being prepared and able to respond to climate change as it helps protect buildings and infrastructure.
Measure:
Insurance indicators (OECD)
Business Readiness
Description:
Attitudinal research to understand the beliefs and actions of businesses in each country around climate-readiness.
Rationale:
A business community that is more knowledgeable and engaged with climate change is more ready to take the action needed.
Measure:
Aviva commissioned YouGov survey of business attitudes towards climate readiness.
Climate Innovation
Description:
Measures include relative number of green patents, investment in sustainable food technology and clean energy technology domestically and globally.
Rationale:
Green innovation is an important part of responding to climate change, providing solutions that can drive global solutions in mitigation and adaptation.
Climate Contribution
Description:
Environmentally related Official Development Assistance (ODA) as percentage of total Gross National Income.
Rationale:
Climate change cannot be addressed on a country-by-country basis. Supporting the global community in mitigation and adaptation is crucial.
Society & Community
Incorporates the human angle of climate readiness, and the importance of ensuring that society as a whole is ready and equipped to be part of the climate solution.
Climate Attitude
Description:
Attitudinal research to understand the beliefs and actions of people in each country around climate-readiness.
Rationale:
A population that is more knowledgeable and engaged with climate change is more ready to take the action needed.
Measure:
Aviva commissioned YouGov to survey consumer attitudes towards climate readiness
Climate Transition
Description:
Measurement on four dimensions of a fair and prosperous transition to a more sustainable world: economic, social, environmental and governance.
Rationale:
Ensuring equality within a country as the economy and society transitions to a more sustainable norm – a ‘just transition’ – is important in ensuring success and fairness.
Measure:
Transitions Performance Index (EU)
Social Resilience
Description:
Measures the attitudes, institutions and structures that create and sustain inclusive and peaceful societies that are resilient and adaptable to change.
Rationale:
The social conditions in a country provide an important foundation for whether measures that improve climate change mitigation and adaptation can be implemented successfully and equitably.
Measure:
Positive Peace Index
Pillar and factor top scores
| Pillar | Top Score* | Factor | Top Score* |
| Emissions & Mitigation | 73 UK | Climate Performance | 73 UK |
|
| Adaptation Capability
Biodiversity
Adaptation Implementation | 70 Germany
79 Canada
75 Germany |
|
| Insurance Contribution
Business Readiness
Climate Innovation
Climate Contribution | 94 USA
69 Ireland
68 France
100 France |
Society & Community |
79 Ireland | Climate Attitude
Climate Transition
Social Resilience | 74 Italy
76 Ireland
91 Canada |
*Rounded to the nearest whole number.
Model weighting
After building the pillars and factors of the model, we worked with experts to weight the model. The results of the weighting exercise reflect a view of what it means for a country to become more climate-ready, and a realistic balancing of the factors involved.
| Pillar | Pillar weighting | Factor | Factor weighting |
| Emissions & Mitigation | 30% | Climate Performance | 100% |
Environment & Adaptation |
30% | Adaptation Capability
Biodiversity
Adaptation Implementation | 35%
35%
30% |
Ecomony & Business |
25% | Insurance Contibution
Business Readiness
Climate Innovation
Climate Contribution | 20%
20%
30%
30% |
Society & Community |
15% | Climate Attitude
Climate Transition
Social Resilience | 25%
37.5%
37.5% |
-
Emissions & Mitigation
30.0%
-
Environment & Adaptation
30.0%
-
Economy & Business
25.0%
-
Society & Community
15.0%
Working with experts on the Climate-Ready Index
Aviva and our lead partner Good Business drew on existing datasets and collaborated with a range of experts to create a Climate-Ready Index.
At each stage of the process we have consulted with experts from government, academia and climate NGOs to ensure the robustness and credibility of the climate-ready model.
Meet some of the experts
David Lourie
Managing Partner
Good Business
david@good.business
Good Business was founded over twenty years ago, which makes us pioneers of the power of good. We have more than two decades of experience of working with organisations to help them succeed in the future by showing that they can make it a better place to be. We understand the space where business meets sustainability more than anyone. Our knowledge of what works and what doesn’t becomes part of every future solution we develop. And we’re as passionate about delivering change as we’ve ever been.
Darren Yaxley
Director, Reputation and Business Research
YouGov
darren.yaxley@yougov.com
YouGov is an international online research data and analytics technology group with one of the world’s largest research networks. Offering unparalleled insight into what the world thinks. As innovators and pioneers of online market research, we have a strong reputation as a trusted source of accurate data and insights. Testament to this, YouGov data is regularly referenced by the global press, and we are the second most quoted market research source in the world.
Prof. Mark Maslin (FRGS, FRSA)
Professor of Earth System Science
University College London
m.maslin@ucl.ac.uk
Professor of Earth System Science at University College London. He is a Royal Society Industrial Fellowship, Executive Director of Rezatec Ltd and Director of The London NERC Doctoral Training Partnership. He is a member of Cheltenham Science Festival Advisory Committee and sits on the Corporate Social Responsibility Board of the Sopria-Steria Group and Sheep Included Ltd. Maslin is a leading scientist with particular expertise in past global and regional climatic change and has publish over 175 papers in journals such as Science, Nature, and The Lancet.
Jessica Lobo
Global Goals and Climate Programme Manager
UN Global Compact Network UK
jessica.lobo@unglobalcompact.org.uk
Despite the progress the UK has made in increasing the scale and scope of its efforts to tackle climate change, it’s clear from our recent Measuring Up 2.0 report that the siloed approach to achieving net zero is putting us at risk of leaving many people and places behind. It’s great to see that Aviva’s Climate-Ready Index includes a broad set of issues such as biodiversity and social resilience. These play a critical role in delivering holistic action and ensuring that everyone, everywhere, is part of the climate solution.
Youki Crump
Senior Communications Manager (Partnerships)
WWF-UK
ycrump@wwf.org.uk
The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment.
Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing humanity and the question is how ready we are to deploy solutions and deal with the inevitable impacts. Aviva have created a Climate-Ready Index to answer this question for the G7 and Ireland. It reveals the strengths and weakness of each country’s state of readiness and will allow us to encourage and track their improvements year to year.
Our Call To Action
The campaign calls on the UK government and the financial system to take action to help the UK and the world become more climate-ready by:
1. Set binding net-zero ambitions and plans
Aligned with science and include short, medium and long term targets. Plans should cover detailed policy by sector, including for investment. Targets and plans should be independently assessed. Governments should be formally accountable for delivery.
2. Ensure regulators incorporate climate risks
Regulators’ mandates should be updated to include climate. They should shape and enforce consistent and comparable climate disclosure, including for corporate net-zero transition plans. Regulation and frameworks affecting investment (e.g. Solvency II) should be assessed to ensure they do not discourage but enable climate investments.
3. Build climate resilience
Too many governments prioritise reducing emissions over preparing for climate impacts. Both are essential. Governments should work with the private sector and local authorities to develop national and regional climate resilience plans.
4. Protect nature and biodiversity
Protecting and restoring nature will reduce net emissions, help limit climate impacts and improve our quality of life. For too long it has been an afterthought in government policy in many countries. We want governments to assess nature and biodiversity as part of the net-zero and resilience planning processes above.
5. Enhance international cooperation
No single country can tackle the climate crisis alone. Yet the big “multilateral organisations” (e.g. the IMF, World Bank, OECD) and standard setters (e.g. Financial Stability Board) haven’t yet updated their roles fully to address climate. We propose countries convene a summit to harness the international financial architecture to the promotion of a global net-zero target.
Climate-Ready Index (One-Pager)
Climate-Ready Index (Detailed)
Building Future Communities
In our latest Building Future Communities report, we’ve calculated the carbon footprint of restoring a flooded home and called for action on making homes more resilient to flooding and extreme weather.
Avivaʼs Commitment to Climate-Readiness
We were the first major insurance company to become carbon neutral in 2006, and for decades we’ve been working to help markets we operate in become more climate-ready.
This starts with our own commitment...
to becoming a Net Zero company by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Paris agreement.
It continues as we use our influence...
as a major investor to operate sustainably, while nurturing the climate-ready businesses of tomorrow.
It shows up in our purposeful propositions...
that help customers safeguard both their financial future and the future of the planet.
We already...
share 2% of profits annually with communities across UK, Canada and Ireland; doing positive things to address climate change. Plus we invest in partnerships with trusted organisations like WWF and the British Red Cross.