Experience climate change Welcome to Munich Re s Climate House

Transcription

1 Experience climate change Welcome to Munich Re s Climate House

2 125 years Preferred partner in risk Innovation backed by experience You have to go to extraordinary lengths if you want to achieve something new. You have to be focused, consistent and faster than others. This is exactly what Munich Re is and has been for 125 years.

3 Dear Visitor, The Climate House has just shown you the sort of damage that storms and floods can cause. Last year alone, worldwide insured losses from natural catastrophes totalled 44bn, with weather-related occurrences accounting for 97% of this figure. Natural catastrophes have increased significantly in recent years and one reason for this increase is the phenomenon of man-made climate change. Knowledge brings responsibility Munich Re has been analysing natural catastrophes for over 30 years. We have been investigating climate change and its consequences since the early 1980s. With this vast experience at our disposal, we have a clear responsibility to share our knowledge with the public. In this way, Munich Re can serve as a type of early-warning system for society. We need a change of perspective The motto of the 2005 National Garden Festival is a change of perspective. But in what way do we need a change of perspective? Here is an example: We all know that people soon become drowsy and lethargic in an overheated room. The problem is that, as this is a gradual process, the people actually in the room do not realise that they need to open the window and let some air in. We only notice just how hot and sticky a room is when we enter it from outside. We therefore need a change of perspective, a new way of looking at things. Munich Re is presenting its knowledge at the 2005 National Garden Festival in an experience room that will stimulate both your mind and your senses. The room is full of surprising discoveries and will appeal to people of all ages. We hope you enjoy your visit to the 2005 National Garden Festival. Prof. Dr. Dr. Peter Höppe Head of Geo Risks Research at Munich Re

4 Is there still hope for us? Our climate is changing. The ten warmest years since records began in 1861 have all occurred since Extreme weather-related catastrophes are increasing worldwide. You have just experienced at first hand in the Climate House what our changing climate is capable of. Is there still hope, we may wonder. It is safe to say that we all contribute to climate change in one way or another. The more we know therefore, the more chance we have of changing something. Understanding risks A spiral of narrow pathways lined with natural stone slabs leads you to the inside of the weather change Cell Garden. Everything is shrouded in mist and suddenly you find yourself in the middle of the world of weather change. But what does climate change mean to us in our everyday lives? The Climate House shows the consequences of climate change in impressive fashion. Here you can experience a catastrophe scenario: water everywhere, the ravages of flooding and the realisation that this could happen to your own home. As Munich Re is increasingly confronted with such losses, we research the causes of natural catastrophes and pass on our findings. The impact of climate change can affect everyone.

5 Knowledge is responsibility Why is Munich Re so committed to sharing its knowledge? It s quite simple really: knowledge is also responsibility. We invite you to witness a mini tornado at first hand. Or you can explore the causes and effects of climate change. But there is much, much more. The Climate House presents Munich Re s activities in the field of climate change in a fascinating audio-visual display. There is much to discover. Do not let this opportunity pass you by! The tornado model shows how a destructive twister develops.

6 Rück Munich Re Group Munich Re, Experience climate change Do you enjoy making discoveries? Then you have come to the right place with Munich Re. We bring knowledge to life: not just here at the 2005 National Garden Festival but each and every day of the year. Winds of Change A game of strategy and skill where the object is to save the earth from being destroyed by overheating? How? Stop climate change through environmentally-aware development and skilful negotiations. The key to winning this game is communication with the other players and joint action to put an end to climate change. World of Natural Hazards This CD-ROM is a geoscientific work of reference for everyone who wants to know where natural hazards occur and which locations are most at risk. 100,000 copies are in circulation, making it the most widely distributed media product in Munich Re s 125-year history. Welt der Naturgefahren World of Natural Hazards Version 2004 WELTKARTE GRUNDLAGENINFORMATION KATASTROPHENKATALOG GEO-SPECIALS GEO-SERVICES LÄNDERLEXIKON WORLD MAP BASIC INFORMATION CATASTROPHE CATALOGUE GEO SPECIALS GEO SERVICES COUNTRY PROFILE Münchener Rück M Munich Re Group Storm warning This brochure, published jointly by Munich Re and the Deutsche Museum, provides all manner of facts and analyses related to the subject of climate change. STORM WARNING FACTS, RESEARCH, CONSEQUENCES M Münchener

7 Put together for you: Munich Re s BUGA package Winds of Change climate game CD-ROM World of Natural Hazards Storm warning brochure Munich Re s BUGA package is available for purchase in the BUGA shop (south entrance, west entrance and at the BUGA lake, near the HVB lake stage) at a price of and online at Weather catastrophes and climate change Is there still hope for us? On 264 pages, 22 leading experts from the fields of science, the economy and politics outline the current state of knowledge in this field. They discuss all aspects of climate change, its effects on nature, people and the economy. The German edition is available at bookshops (ISBN-Nr.: ) at a price of The English edition will be available at the end of Would you like to know more? Then take a look at Munich Re s website. There is much to discover at For example, click on the heading TOPICS & SOLUTIONS, and then on Georisks in the drop-down menu, or on Geo Risks Research under PUBLICATIONS.

8 What does Munich Re do? As you may have guessed, Munich Re is a reinsurance company. But what exactly does a reinsurer do? Just as you insure yourself against the financial consequences of an accident, so too do insurance companies. For example, they will insure their own cover of power plants, large passenger and cargo ships, international space projects or simply the roof a family house. Naturally, insurers would have no difficulty in settling a single claim for roof damage. But what about a hurricane that damages thousands of roofs? Coping with such losses would be difficult for a single insurer and they consequently share their risks with reinsurers. Munich Re 125 years In the world of reinsurance Munich Re is the international market leader and has been insuring insurers the world over since To do this successfully, we observe, analyse and evaluate all kinds of risks. We rely on our 125 years of experience and on our experts who operate in around 160 countries and represent over 80 specialist fields. We have in our ranks space engineers, physicians, meteorologists and even a ship s master. In fact, there is probably no field of expertise in which we are not represented. Walking Man by the American artist Jonathan Borofsky in front of Munich Re s office building in Leopoldstrasse, Munich.

9 Take advantage of the knowledge of the world s largest reinsurer You, too, can benefit from Munich Re s knowledge: for example through NATHAN, the NATural Hazards Assessment Network. What does NATHAN do? If you want to find out about natural hazards in a particular region of the world, simply enter the name of the location you are looking for and you will receive all the relevant information at the click of a mouse. The Country Profiles section offers an overview of the geography, economy and natural hazards situation in the countries listed. NATHAN: Enquire about natural hazards and catastrophes online, worldwide and interactively. You can access NATHAN at The database bundles the expertise of the Geo Risks Research team on global natural hazards and catastrophes.

10 What else does Munich Re do? Munich Re is active in a whole range of different areas, from innovative insurance solutions and knowledge transfer to interdisciplinary cooperation. Here are two other examples of our activities: Munich Re Foundation Munich Re has been assuming responsibility for 125 years. And by establishing this foundation, we have created the appropriate institutional framework to continue in the same vein. From Knowledge to Action under this motto the Munich Re Foundation is helping those people who are inadequately prepared to cope with risks relating to population development, urbanisation, water scarcity, and climate and environmental changes. Munich Re Foundation From Knowledge to Action You can find further information on the Munich Re Foundation From Knowledge to Action on the foundation s website at Exhibition CHANCE : RISIKO Munich Re invites you to the exhibition CHANCE : RISIKO at the Haus der Kunst, from 1 July to 1 November 2005 to mark Munich Re s 125th anniversary. The exhibition takes you through the ups and downs of your risk-taking life. Risks enter our lives the day we are born, accompany us in our decision to start a family, and are still with us when we are old and grey. You will learn to see safety and the lack of it as two sides of one and the same coin. You will discover the vulnerability of mighty systems and realise that ignorance is sometimes more productive than knowledge. You have to live with risk if you want to have a chance in life. CHANCE : RISIKO For a risk-taking culture. Haus der Kunst, Prinzregentenstrasse 1, München, Tel.: (0 89) Further information can be found at

11 2005 Münchener Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft Königinstrasse München Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 89/ Fax: +49 (0) 89/ Responsible for content Corporate Underwriting/Global Clients Geo Risks Research/Environmental Management Contact GEOinfoLINE +(49) Picture credits Cover, p. 2: Moritz Nauschütz, Munich p. 1: Foto Meinen, Munich p. 3: Phänomenta, Flensburg p. 6: Stefan Müller-Naumann, Munich p. 8: Matthias Ziegler, Agentur Neubauer Printed by Druckerei Vogl, Tölzer Strasse 5a, München, Germany

12 2005 Münchener Rückversicherungs-Gesellschaft Königinstrasse München Germany Order number