Zurich employees in Australia and nine other countries will from January volunteer their expertise to help develop tailored plans to make cities less susceptible to disruption from frequent and intense floods, heatwaves and wildfires. 

The Z Zurich Foundation will roll out the Urban Climate Resilience Program (UCRP) next year, adding Australia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Spain, Turkey and the UK after pilot programs in Columbia, Ecuador and the US. 

"With climate disasters increasingly impacting communities around the world, the need for resilient cities has never been greater,” Zurich said. “In January, we intend to launch this program in seven more countries in collaboration with Zurich’s local offices and charitable organisations.” 

The program will identify tailored local solutions with the foundation’s partners, including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in Australia, and the private sector. UCRP will conduct in-depth analysis of each community’s climate-related issues. 

“We aim to influence the ways in which systems can be adapted to better support vulnerable people,” Climate Change and Partnerships Senior Manager David Nash said. 

Z Zurich Foundation Head Gregory Renand says the need for adaptation is “more urgent and more permanent” than anyone predicted.  

"We are pleased to bring this new contribution which further complements our existing climate adaptation work,’ he said. “We are excited by the prospects of this new urban program and invite the public and private sectors to join us in this important journey.”