Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies to Host ‘Disaster Strikes Again: Agriculture Resiliency in the Face of Climate Shocks,’ With Students and Swiss Re, March 29, in Washington, DC

WASHINGTON, March 22 -- Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies issued the following news release:

"Disaster Strikes Again: Agriculture Resiliency in the Face of Climate Shocks" will be hosted by Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). The event is presented by the Dean's Forum and Energy, Resources and Environment Program's (ERE's) Global Leaders Forum.

During the event, students participating in a practicum project with global reinsurance company Swiss Re will present their research, which analyzes the economic impacts of climate shocks in agriculture dependent communities. Following the presentation, Associate Practitioner in Residence Celeste Connors will moderate a panel on how farms and local and federal governments are responding to the impacts of climate shocks."

"Governments need to take proactive steps to reduce both the physical and financial risk of climate-related severe weather events on communities," said Connors, who is also a former White House official. "A holistic risk management approach will protect industries, states, and national governments from falling through the financial floor following a catastrophic event, and allow for more effective and balanced budget planning."

"Leveraging insurance and implementing pre-emptive risk management approaches to address the rising risk of natural disasters, like wildfires and hurricanes, will help not just the insured, but also the overall community, and environment to be more resilient," said Alex Kaplan, Vice President and Head of Public Sector Solutions, North America for Swiss Re.

Additional information is available here. A full report detailing the students' research will be released later this year.

Agenda

Presentation

Swathi Ayyagari, You (Ivy) Lyu, Michael Matosich, Aaron Ng

ERE, Johns Hopkins SAIS

Expert Panel Discussion

Speakers

Kate Brown

Executive Director, Global Island Partnership (GLISPA)

Dr. Ashley Hungerford

Economist, Office of Chief Economist, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Tahseen Sayed

Country Director for Caribbean Countries, World Bank

Serena Sowers

Vice President, Public Sector Solutions, Swiss Re

Moderator

Celeste Connors

Associate Practitioner in Residence, Johns Hopkins SAIS

Time and Date

12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Friday, March 29, 2019

Location

Kenney-Herter Auditorium

Johns Hopkins SAIS

1740 Massachusetts Ave. NW

Washington, DC 20036

Registration

The event is open to the public and media, with registration. Members of the working press can request to cover the event by selecting "Media" on the online registration form. Final media access will be confirmed at least one day prior to the event. Pre-authorized camera setup will only be permitted from 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Please note: Interviews with participants and attendees may only be conducted before event or after the event in Kenney-Herter Auditorium.

About Swiss Re

The Swiss Re Group is one of the world's leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer, working to make the world more resilient. It anticipates and manages risk - from natural catastrophes to climate change, from ageing populations to cyber crime. The aim of the Swiss Re Group is to enable society to thrive and progress, creating new opportunities and solutions for its clients. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1863, the Swiss Re Group operates through a network of around 80 offices globally. It is organized into three Business Units, each with a distinct strategy and set of objectives contributing to the Group's overall mission.

About Johns Hopkins SAIS

A division of Johns Hopkins University, the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) is a global institution that offers students an international perspective on today's critical issues. For 75 years, Johns Hopkins SAIS has produced great leaders, thinkers, and practitioners of international relations. Public leaders and private sector executives alike seek the counsel of the faculty, whose ideas and research inform and shape policy. Johns Hopkins SAIS offers a global perspective across three campus locations: Bologna, Italy; Nanjing, China; and Washington, D.C. The school's interdisciplinary curriculum is strongly rooted in the study of international economics, international relations, and regional studies, preparing students to address multifaceted challenges in the world today.

For more information, visit sais-jhu.edu or @SAISHopkins.