No risk manager can be unaware of the issues of climate change, and this year the keynote speaker for the Seminar will be presenting them along with their consequences for Europe and particularly European business. He is Danish meteorologist, TV weatherman and climate expert, Jesper Theilgaard.

Jesper Theilgaard is a familiar face in Denmark and increasingly in other parts of Europe. By background, he is a meteorologist and worked for the Danish national weather service. But as weather science started to get more model-oriented, he decided it was not as enjoyable as before, and in 1990 he became a television weatherman. “That I enjoyed a lot,” he said. Today, however, he is less often in front of the cameras with the forecast, but more as a commentator
on the climate, and that is what he will be discussing at the FERMA Seminar.

For Europe, Jesper neatly sums up the probable picture of climate change: too much water in northern Europe, not enough water in southern Europe. The accompanying hazards are storms with high winds and heavy rains.

He intends to explain to the FERMA members why the issue has now become so serious and the consequences for risk managers and insurers. “I will be explaining the problems we need to face and considering what we can do.” He often speaks with risk managers and insurers, and so he is well aware of their concerns.

“There is an economic risk of doing something which turns out not to be necessary but if we don’t do enough it might be too late, not for the planet but for humanity.” states Jesper.