Climate change risks may seem too colossal and global for most businesses to be relatable, especially for non-publicly traded companies. Soon enough, however, all businesses will need to take stock and internalize business model impacts of climate change—the transition risks and opportunities— and climate change impacts on business—the physical risks of rising temperatures and related... Continue Reading →
Now that we have a global agreement in place on climate change, which more definitively sets greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and timelines, all eyes are set on the question as to how each country, including the US, will achieve its commitments. For the US, legislation and executive agency action are two important pieces to... Continue Reading →
The COP26 (Conference of the Parties) climate talks took place in Glasgow over the first two weeks of November. These meetings between heads of state around the world may seem far removed from your daily business concerns, but in reality, the actions taken and resulting agreements may have far-reaching consequences for your business model, including... Continue Reading →
In May, the Biden Administration issued its Executive Order on Climate-Related Financial Risk to establish a policy framework for maintaining the integrity of the US financial system as it relates to climate change. The Order was aimed at prioritizing climate change from an economic standpoint and raising the flag for the continued risks of physical... Continue Reading →
Having read through the American Jobs Plan, it’s clear that federal funding and capacity-building proposals for infrastructure and climate are transformational, once-in-a-lifetime, and good for business. However, if the design and construction industry views the proposed policy framework through the lens of just the project flow opportunities, it could miss a massive opportunity to address... Continue Reading →
During the 2020 Biden campaign, climate change was a priority issue. Consistent with that messaging, the administration is now plowing forward with urgent and sweeping climate mitigation policy proposals that will significantly impact the power, transportation, building, waste, and industrial sectors. Navigating the policy and regulatory implications for business models takes time, but the risks... Continue Reading →
Both local and state governments continue to pledge commitments to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 or sooner. While aspirations are high and worthwhile, and even more are in fact needed, the details on how to meet those pledges have been scarce, confusing, and fraught with political hand-wringing. Indeed, the complexity of solving for climate change... Continue Reading →
What is a National Climate Bank? Despite the name, it isn’t really a bank in the traditional sense of the word because it isn’t a depository institution. Rather, it’s a non-profit 501(c)(3) created for the sole purpose of leveraging limited public funding (through financing instruments such as market term loans, soft loans, equity investments, and... Continue Reading →
While we wait for federal lawmakers to pass a comprehensive infrastructure package that may integrate clean energy infrastructure and a sustainable framework for climate change and resilience in the face of continued severe natural disasters, there’s another federal resource worthy of attention. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched a new program, Building Resilient Infrastructures... Continue Reading →
From Risk to Profit: Benchmarking and Claims Studies is Victor's comprehensive benchmarking and risk management resource for design and construction firms. Below is an excerpt from the book, which is only available to Victor/CNA policyholders and brokers. One of the most important attributes of a professional education, and running a successful design firm, is the... Continue Reading →
