When people think about insurance, they typically picture policies for cars, health, or homes—not climate change. But for Antony Ireland, founder of the Better Insurance Network, a straight line connects the two. He believes that helping insurers understand this connection is essential to building a resilient society and enabling a smooth transition to a net-zero economy.

Few industries are as exposed to climate change as insurance. In 2025 alone, natural disasters caused an estimated $224 billion in global losses, yet only $108 billion was insured. Each uninsured loss can mean communities left unrepaired, farms left unplanted, and businesses never reopened. As once-in-a-century disasters become more frequent, insurers—particularly in Western markets—are increasingly bearing the financial cost.

For Ireland, this front-line position gives the industry both responsibility and opportunity. “Nobody can model the future better than the insurance industry,” he says. “The industry can foresee what is coming and educate policy holders and government to build resilience.” By leveraging their predictive capabilities, insurers can play a pivotal role in preparing societies for what lies ahead.

Insurance also has a critical role to play in unlocking investment in the climate transition, he adds. “You can’t invest in what you can’t insure. Insurance builds investor confidence and unlocks investment capital by reducing risk in every segment of the economy, from high emitting sectors to clean tech, so is a key enabler of the transition to a low carbon world.”

What are you passionate about?

Climate change and insurance.

Ireland spent 20 years working as a finance journalist. His interest in climate issues led him to a key realization that although the insurance sector is our first line of defence against disaster, it was lagging behind in its understanding of sustainability. “Being somebody passionate about climate change, and as ill-informed about it as the next man, I recognized insurance had a massive role to play.”

At a time when many industries were beginning to commit to net-zero targets, insurance companies were notably behind the curve, despite being among the most vulnerable to climate-related losses. In response, Ireland launched a network where sustainability leaders within the industry could come together, share knowledge, and collaborate on solutions.

What are you working on?

The Better Insurance Network

The network’s first priority is facilitating knowledge exchange. “Most insurance companies were at point zero on sustainability strategy a few years go. Now they are moving from strategy to execution  and they get huge value from convening to exchange ideas and best practices

A second focus is raising awareness among insurance professionals about the strategic importance of climate risk. Many brokers and underwriters still do not fully consider the long-term implications of climate change and the energy transition on their portfolios. To address this, the network has developed an e-learning programme that is now being rolled out within major insurance firms. The programme is designed to help insurance professionals understand how sustainability practices can support both resilience and long-term growth.

Another key area of work involves encouraging insurers to incentivize resilience through their policies. This includes offering better terms to businesses that invest in climate adaptation measures, as well as requiring high-emitting companies to demonstrate credible transition plans in order to secure coverage. By aligning financial incentives with sustainable behaviour, insurers can help drive meaningful change across industries.

How has membership at The Conduit helped you?

Although Ireland has only recently joined The Conduit, he has already found value in its community. “I see big opportunities for convening action-oriented conversations with diverse stakeholders,” he says. “I can see conversations brewing in the climate tech space with opportunities to bring investors and insurers together.”

He is also set to moderate a panel at The Conduit’s second annual Insurance in a Changing World convening. The session will focus on how the insurance industry can adapt to a rapidly heating world by mitigating risk and strengthening resilience.