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Kreidler hosts Climate Summit 2021, free virtual event open to the public

Contact Public Affairs: 360-725-7055

September 22, 2021

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is hosting a virtual Climate Summit on Oct. 6 to highlight the latest science, best practices being deployed in the private sector, and regulatory approaches to combating climate change. 

Climate Summit 2021 is a half-day event and is free and open to the public. 

Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee will make keynote remarks about fighting climate change head on in the Evergreen state. 

Sec. Gen. Ekhosuehi Iyahen with the Insurance Development Forum will give the keynote address about addressing the insurance protection gap globally. 

Washington state Poet Laureate Rena Priest will open the summit with a welcome message. Ms. Priest is sponsored by Humanities Washington and the Washington State Arts Commission.

Washington state and its public and private institutions are leaders on climate change, including the areas of research, business best practices, policy, and regulation.

The focus for Climate Summit 2021 is what individuals and organizations can do to mitigate and adapt to the changing climate and the risks it poses.

During Climate Summit 2021, you’ll have the opportunity to hear from experts in these key areas:

  • Climate change science: Dr. Amy Snover with the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group and Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. 
  • Private sector best practices: Hear about Becoming Climate Pledge Arena, home of the Seattle Kraken NHL team, from Vice President of Sustainability Rob Johnson. Ana Pinheiro Privette with Amazon and Michelle Lancaster with Microsoft head their organizations’ sustainability efforts.  
  • The insurance and climate change nexus: Insurance industry representatives Thomas Leonardi, Dr. Yoon Kim with Moody’s, and Jodi Hanson Bond with DevryBV will discuss economic resilience, investments and industry best practices. 
  • Public sector climate resilience: Washington state Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon will discuss legislation to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

Kreidler is a national leader on climate change and its risk to insurance and policyholders. He founded and has chaired the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ Climate Risk and Resilience Working Group in 2007. He joined the Paris Pledge for Action in 2015 and the United Nations Environment’s Sustainable Insurance Forum in 2016. This is Kreidler’s fifth climate summit, bringing together climate scientists, thought leaders, policymakers and the insurance industry.