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Writer's pictureShidonna Raven

Corporate Climate Change Series: SDIM24: How businesses can become more resilient to the physical impacts of climate change


October 2, 2024

Photo / Image Source: Unsplash,


Many businesses recognize the need for climate adaptation, yet still seek effective strategies.




  • Climate change is already causing significant disruptions to businesses through extreme weather events such as heatwaves, floods and storms.

  • The Marsh McLennan Flood Risk Index highlights that a warming climate will double the proportion of global airport capacity and trade outflows at risk of flooding.

  • The Marsh Corporate Climate Adaptation Survey shows high corporate awareness of physical risks but big gaps in the quantification of current and future impacts.

  • Risk Managers can drive corporate climate adaptation with the three As: Ambition, Assessment, Action.

The physical impacts of climate change are already affecting businesses across sectors and geographies, taking a toll on employees’ well-being, damaging properties and assets and disrupting operations and supply chains. More frequent and intense wildfires, windstorms, extreme heat, flood and droughts have far-reaching impacts on businesses across different sectors and geographies. For example:


Excessive heat increasingly affects employee health, the quality of perishable goods, packaging and even asphalt, hampering transport. Water stress becomes a major risk to global supply chains, with impacts already felt in agriculture, manufacturing and power production. Intense rainfall leads to power outages and property damage, among other things; in April 2024, record rain cost airline Emirates $110 million. Among other major recent climate disruptions, vital semiconductor supplies were halted by flooding in Malaysia.


These impacts will become more disruptive in a warming climate. The Marsh McLennan Flood Risk Index reveals stark flooding vulnerabilities for international ports and airports, now and in the future. The index shows that 18% of global airport capacity and 26% of trade outflows through international ports are at risk of flooding.


With 2 degrees Celsius warming, the proportion of these three asset classes at risk is expected to roughly double to 41 and 52%, respectively. Further global warming will put more pressure on businesses, communities and governments. Adaptation doesn’t signal a defeatist attitude or diminish the importance of mitigation. It’s integral to responding responsibly to the crisis already upon us.


Failing to adapt to these changing risks will make the job of risk management significantly more challenging in the future.



Does your company have a climate change plan? Is it complaint with current climate laws? Why? Why not?











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