Duke University and the University of Georgia are partnering with leaders from the insurance and climate data industries to launch the Center for Innovation in Risk, Catastrophes, and Decisions (CIRCAD), a new initiative focused on advancing insurance innovation and large-scale risk mitigation amid escalating climate disasters, the Pratt School of Engineering announced.

Duke experts are exploring ways to enhance community resilience to extreme weather events. Lydia Olander and Francis Bouchard joined engineering professor Mark Borsuk in leading a 2024-2025 Bass Connections team exploring community-based catastrophe insurance.

Climate Week NYC 2024, held Sept. 22-29, gathered hundreds of business and political leaders across the globe to address the need for climate action. Among the distinguished voices included Duke University, whose lineup of climate experts shared their insights and research at several key events as part of Duke's Climate Commitment. A photo essay from Duke Today showcased the involvement of Duke scholars, including several from the Nicholas Institute.

Small towns at risk from climate change need better data to become more resilient. Duke Today profiled a team of Duke students who spent 10 weeks this summer working with the Town of Creswell and the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency to understand the flood issues some state residents face. The project, led by Nicholas Institute experts Lydia Olander and Francis Bouchard, was part of the Climate+ summer research program.

The 2024 Duke Alumni Engagement and Development Impact Report highlights the launch of "Cooling Communities: Strategic Partnerships for Energy Equity in the Carolinas." This new project is led by experts at the Nicholas Institute and Duke Divinity School, and nonprofit groups N.C. Interfaith Power & Light, N.C. Council of Churches, and S.C. Interfaith Power & Light, alongside collaborators at Duke Energy.

Duke University experts are partnering with colleagues at the University of Georgia (UGA) and numerous other collaborators to develop the Center for Innovation in Risk-analysis for Climate Adaptation and Decision-making (CIRCAD). Their video series showcases CIRCAD experts discussing their views on how the initiative can develop community- and industry-accessible research and champion climate resilience.

Francis Bouchard, Duke’s first climate leader in residence and longtime insurance executive, wrote in a commentary for Insurance Thought Leadership that a recent workshop could serve as a model for bridging the gap between industry knowledge and community needs. The convening aimed to address at-risk/in-need communities—and those who support them—about the types of climate risk data and analytics they could access and deploy. Duke experts helped facilitate conversation among 40 state and local leaders.

Ashley Ward (Heat Policy Innovation Hub, Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability), Linda Coley (Ormond Center, Divinity School), Francis Bouchard (Climate Leader in Residence and climate resilience and insurance executive), Susannah Tuttle (N.C. Interfaith Power & Light, N.C. Council of Churches), and Robert Reese (S.C. Interfaith Power & Light) will co-lead a research project examining environmental and climate justice in North and South Carolina. Alongside other partners from Duke (Michelle Lewis, Divinity School; Jordan Clark, Nicholas Institute), and the private sector (Conitsha Barnes, Duke Energy), the team will address the funding gap contributing to persistent energy inequality.

Forty-five Duke University scholars will pursue new research on sustainable, equitable solutions to address climate change and its effects, supported by grants from the Duke Climate Research Innovation Seed Program (CRISP).

Twelve teams have collectively been awarded nearly $700,000 to investigate topics such as equitable disaster recovery, community insurance, financing climate-smart agriculture, water quality challenges posed by sea level rise, forest-based carbon offsets and more.

Francis Bouchard, Duke University's inaugural Climate Leader in Residence, writes for Insurance Thought Leadership that insurers have a huge opportunity—and responsibility—to de-risk climate change.

The two-day “Risk Science for Climate Resilience” symposium brought together Duke scholars and invited guests to strategize about how Duke could utilize its strengths and partnerships to stimulate novel approaches to climate risk in the private sector and scale up climate resilience efforts.

Speakers from across financial backgrounds came together Thursday afternoon to discuss the role of risk science and the insurance sector in assessing and managing climate risks and implementing climate resilience solutions, reported The Chronicle. The symposium, hosted by the Nicholas Institute and Duke RESILE, is the first in the new Climate Collaboration Symposia series, funded by a gift from The Duke Endowment in support of the Climate Commitment.

The Duke Climate Collaboration Symposia, a new event series launching in mid-February, will help identify opportunities for Duke University to make the most of its interdisciplinary expertise and convening power for meaningful impact on climate challenges.

The series is funded by a gift from The Duke Endowment in support of the Duke Climate Commitment, which unites the university’s education, research, operations, and public service missions to address the climate crisis.

A new initiative will bring top thought leaders on climate change to Duke University to share insights and expertise, sparking discussion and action. The Climate Leaders in Residence (CLIR) will enrich student learning and collaborate with Duke faculty and staff on climate research and initiatives. The inaugural Climate Leader in Residence is Francis Bouchard, managing director for climate at Marsh McLennan, a global professional services company specializing in risk management and insurance.

Faculty and staff are invited to connect with Francis Bouchard, whose residency will focus on the insurance sector’s role in addressing the climate crisis. He will be on campus Nov. 14–16 ahead of the January start of his residency. He will give a talk to the Duke community on Nov. 14.