Description: This report will endeavor to introduce the reader to some of the known and developing environmental risks that impact the business of insurance, with a specific focus on North American risks.

Description: The Society of Actuaries (SOA) Research Institute received a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to educate insurance actuaries on the use of wildfire risk datasets and models to be developed by researchers from academia and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Description: Many countries have suffered the ups and downs of the COVID-19pandemic, and Mexico is no exception. Even worse, in contrast withEuropean countries that saw numbers dip during the summer of2020, Mexico did not. A first peak was reached at the end of July2020, then a slight decrease in the following two months. SinceOctober, Mexico has experienced the worst increasing trend of thewhole epidemic. In this article, Arturo Erdely, a professor of actuarialscience, explains this increase.

Description: Climate change has the potential to wreak havoc on ecosystems worldwide. One anticipated repercussion is the change in suitable habitats of vectors, such as mosquitos and ticks, who can transmit serious and even life-threatening diseases to humans. In this report, we outline major vector-borne diseases, discuss their symptoms and treatment costs, and present the relevant research regarding their evolving spatial patterns due to climate change.

Description: Bonus edition on the IPCC WG II Sixth Assessment Report - Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerabilities, as well as other timely topics regarding sustainability-related and climate-related disclosures.

Description: Professionalism did not start with COVID-19, but it has brought many new situations to our attention.Professionalism is more than just adhering to rules and regulations and it is complex. As an actuary, you need toconstruct your own “moral compass” and be prepared to make the tough personal and work-related decisions asthey arise. While difficult decisions may not be a common occurrence during your careers, your moral compass willmake it possible to act with confidence when something needs to be done. Finally, while the actuarial profession hascodes of conduct, it is ultimately your personal conduct that determines your reputation as a professional

Description: The SOA Research Institute Catastrophe & Climate Strategic Research Program Steering Committee is seeking researchers to put together a case study discussing scenario development, actuarial methodology, and how to incorporate climate-related tipping points into actuarial practice. With the march toward global temperature increase approaching 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, it would be valuable to research what it would look like when the point has been reached and we are in an era, or “new-normal,” represented by more extreme climate-related events.

Description: January 2021 update on activities of the Catastrophe and Climate Research Program.

Description: 2023 looks to already be the costliest year for insured severe thunderstorm damage in the U.S. surpassing the 2020 record of $44 billion, by August, and may very well surpass $50 billion for the full year. In addition to property damage, severe storms and hail have led to fatalities in the U.S. and the risks to populations in vulnerable structures seems to be worsening.

Description: The SOA Research Institute Mortality & Longevity Strategic Research Program and the Catastrophe & Climate Strategic Research Program Steering Committees [The Committees] are seeking researchers to investigate the impact of outdoor air quality and pollution on morbidity and mortality, with a focus on climate change including the impacts of wildfires focusing on regions where air quality has deteriorated significantly in recent history.