This ClimateWise Thought Leadership article is the second in a series which is being published throughout 2012. Each article is authored by an executive from a ClimateWise member organisation and aims to inspire debate around a new issue related to managing climate change risk which the author believes could yield value for the insurance industry if adopted more widely.

The ClimateWise Thought Leadership Series is intended to provoke debate. Join the discussion on the ideas contained within this article on LinkedIn (Click the LinkedIn tile on the right of this page), or connect with us on Twitter (@ClimateWise) or email (info@climatewise.org).

In 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environmental Degradation were put on the international agenda at the first Earth Summit. Twenty years later nobody can ignore that human development and economic growth rely on healthy and resilient ecosystems but all too often we do, perhaps because it is easier to compartmentalise issues and believe that someone else will deal with the complexity. From 20 - 22 June 2012 governments, businesses and NGOs from around the world have come together at the Rio+20 conference to showcase and stimulate activity where environment, development and economic policy need to be considered together.

In this Thought Leadership article, Ian Kirk, Chief Executive of Santam Group – a diversified developing market general insurer head-quartered in South Africa – explores the implications of a key theme at the Rio+20 conference for the insurance sector. Ian demonstrates how the insurance sector is uniquely placed to act as global connector for shared values and what the value of ecosystem resilience plays in mitigating disaster risk, including climate change risk.