Pilot 1
Green roof insurances
Pilot lead: IVM
In this pilot, we study how insurance can stimulate the adoption of urban nature-based solutions, specifically green roofs. The overarching goal is to develop a European business model for insurance that promotes nature-based solutions. The implementation of green roofs is increasing, but still scarce, even though they provide a range of aesthetic, biodiversity, and recreational benefits in addition to various climate change adaptation and mitigation benefits, such as water management or insulation.
We start with cities in the Netherlands. Our partners
IVM and CAS will evaluate a climate adaptation strategy
implemented by the Dutch insurer Interpolis, which aims
to encourage policyholders to adopt green roofs.
Furthermore, a broad range of societal benefits of green
roofs will be assessed in surveys that include discrete
choice experiments among Dutch residents. Based on the
assessed benefits, cost-benefit analyses of green roofs
will be performed, including flood risk reduction,
recreation, and biodiversity benefits. The effectiveness
of different insurance solutions to promote green roofs,
in addition to possible enablers and barriers, will be
examined as well. Moreover, public-private partnerships
will be identified to investigate sustainable finance
arrangements that stimulate investments in green roofs.
The pilot also seeks to explore whether similar
approaches can be applied in insurance markets beyond
the Netherlands. During the later innovation rounds, we
will explore the applicability of green roofs as an
adaptation measure promoted by insurers in the Boreal
region, in cities such as Helsinki and Tampere in
Finland. Finally, the costs and benefits of green roofs
as an adaptation strategy are further quantified and
tested, which will focus on the Mediterranean region.
Read more
- Incentivizing Green Roof adoption through insurance
- Dutch Insurers: Enablers and Barriers of Nature-based Solutions
- Dutch insurers need best practices and partnerships to incorporate nature-based solutions into their products
- Info Card - Nature-Based Solutions in the Center of Climate Adaptation