Mutual & Federal sponsors insurance for a climate change research expedition

Mutual & Federal, a member of the Old Mutual Group, recently sponsored the insurance cover for an expedition which involved vital new research into climate change in sub-Saharan Africa. The exploration was conducted by the respected environmental research company, OneWorld.

"Climate change impacts enormously on industry, business and people across the world. It alters the risk environment and affects insurers, brokers and clients because they simply can't predict when floods, droughts or tsunamis will strike. However, OneWorld's research and climate-change case studies identify risks and vulnerable areas in Africa to inform climate response. Mutual & Federal felt that this was an expedition which needed our support," says Samantha Boyd, General Manager of Sales at Mutual & Federal.

According to James Cumming, the environmental economist at OneWorld Sustainable Investments who led the expedition, the OneWorld research team had peace of mind knowing that the expedition was covered by an all-risk and motor insurance sponsorship by Mutual & Federal. "Luckily, the only mishap we suffered was in northern Malawi, when a rock hit the windscreen. The damage wasn't too severe and didn't interfere with the view from the driver's seat, so we decided to wait until our return to South Africa to replace it. It was comforting to know, that we were covered by Mutual & Federal," explains Cumming.

Since 2001, OneWorld has been active in the fields of development, energy and climate-change adaptation and mitigation, through studies like its recent exploration of sub-Saharan Africa. OneWorld's latest research includes seven case studies, which will soon be published in a book printed by the Human Science Research Centre (HSRC) Press entitled Climate Change in Africa: Strengthen the voice of the world's most vulnerable continent. The material is expected to cover a number of themes, from food security, water scarcity, energy, health, migration, disaster impact, to land availability and access and gender and youth issues. It will also examine how climate change stress may affect stability and conflict among individuals, households, communities, regions and nations.

"Mutual & Federal is proud to support initiatives like OneWorld that develop sustainable climate change policies to create a greener future for our clients, brokers, staff and neighbours across Africa," concludes Boyd.

Mutual & Federal is one of the leading short-term insurers in southern Africa.