As a global insurer, we see first-hand the impacts natural disasters have on our customers and the communities in which we operate. We know that when disaster strikes, it’s vital that resources can be deployed quickly to support communities, both in the immediate response and to assist in the long-term recovery.
Our Global Disaster Relief and Resilience Partnership with the Red Cross and Save the Children has enabled us to reach and support more vulnerable communities than ever before. Announced in November 2019, the partnership enables the rapid mobilisation of support for disaster relief activities in response to catastrophic events, and support disaster preparedness and climate resilience initiatives for vulnerable communities around the world.
Through our partnership strategy, we are focused on four areas;
- Disaster Preparedness and Risk Reduction
- Anticipatory Action and Mitigation
- Disaster Response
- Disaster Recovery
Climate change affects people from all walks of life in the UK, but climate impacts disproportionately affect the poorest and most vulnerable populations. Which is why the QBE Foundation is helping the British Red Cross act now.
In 2023, the British Red Cross responded to 183 climate-related incidents in the UK, including flooding, and research shows that climate change is increasingly impacting communities:
- In the past ten years, 85% of all disasters triggered by natural hazards were caused by extreme weather and climate-related events, such as floods, storms and heatwaves.
- By 2050, Britain will be 50% more likely to experience hot summers, and heat-related deaths could triple, reaching around 7,000 every year.
- The number of climate and weather-related disasters has risen almost 35% since the 1990s.
As a business centred around risk management solutions, QBE, via the QBE Foundation, are committed to improving resilience and preparedness of our communities through long-term partnerships.
By supporting the British Red Cross UK Climate Adaptation programme, the QBE Foundation is helping to ensure the British Red Cross has the necessary resources available to plan and implement effective adaptation measures. Together, we will be helping communities across the UK to prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change.
“As the world leading humanitarian responders, we are witnessing first-hand the extreme impacts that climate change is having on communities around the world and in the UK. By taking action to adapt to the impacts of climate change across the UK, the British Red Cross can build a more climate resilient future for all. But we cannot tackle this alone and I’m grateful to the QBE Foundation for their commitment to supporting our climate adaptation work for 3-years. Through this investment, we can make a difference in how we prepare for climate-related emergencies and support communities to better prepare, respond and recover from climate impacts in the UK. Thank you to everyone at the QBE Foundation for your support.”
- Ellie Murtagh, UK Climate Adaptation Lead, the British Red Cross.
Read more about our work in the community through the QBE Foundation in the 2023 Sustainability Report.
Copyright for both images is ©Peter Summers/British Red Cross.
Sources from: IFRC, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment Policy brief with LSE, PCAN and the British Red Cross
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