Tower unveils climate scholarship recipients as calls for action intensify
Tower unveils climate scholarship recipients as calls for action intensify | Insurance Business New Zealand
Insurance News
Tower unveils climate scholarship recipients as calls for action intensify
Recipients target climate change impacts on Māori and Pacific communities
Insurance News
By
Roxanne Libatique
Tower Insurance has named the latest recipients of its Climate Change Scholarship, a partnership initiative with the University of Waikato.
The scholarship program, which supports students pursuing a Bachelor of Climate Change degree, has awarded $5,000 each to Maia Waudby (pictured) and Hannah Dagger.
New Zealand urged to accelerate climate action
These scholarships are being awarded at a time when New Zealand is under increasing pressure to accelerate its climate action efforts.
The Climate Change Commission recently published its first assessment of the national adaptation plan, which was launched in 2022. The report indicated that current adaptation efforts are insufficient and that a more proactive approach is necessary to manage the growing risks posed by climate change.
The survey, which included 1,005 respondents, showed that 65% believe more resources should be directed towards addressing these risks. Furthermore, nearly 70% of respondents indicated that natural disasters are a major factor in rising insurance premiums, and many called for more proactive measures to reduce climate hazards.
Tower Climate Change Scholarship
The scholarship initiative, launched in 2021, offers three $5,000 scholarships annually to students enrolled in the University of Waikato’s climate change program.
Tower CEO Blair Turnbull highlighted the importance of the scholarships in addressing the pressing challenges posed by climate change.
“As a Kiwi and Pacific insurer, we are acutely aware of the impact climate change has on our island communities, and we are on a mission to help support meaningful climate action,” he said.
He pointed to the rising occurrence of extreme weather and increasing temperatures as major concerns, stressing the need for immediate action.
“Rising temperatures and significant weather events have shown the biggest challenge we collectively face is the threat of climate change. The message is clear – we need to tackle this head-on. The University of Waikato is at the forefront of climate education, and for this reason, we have committed to helping them grow our next generation of climate leaders,” he said.
Tower Climate Change Scholarship 2024 recipients
Both Waudby and Dagger are concentrating their studies on addressing the effects of climate change on Māori and Pacific communities.
Waudby, currently in her third year, is working on a project for Tower aimed at reducing emissions within the company’s underwriting portfolios.
Discussing her academic focus, she said: “Being Māori, I believe that caring for the environment exists as part of my intrinsic duty to enact kaitiakitanga and to be a ‘good ancestor’ for generations to come. There’s a well-known saying from my awa (the Whanganui river), ‘Ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au,’ which means ‘I am the river, the river is me.’”
She expressed appreciation for the financial support provided by the scholarship, which she described as a significant aid in her educational pursuits.
“Any student will tell you that it’s pretty rough sometimes financially, so the scholarship is definitely a big help. It’s nice to know that there’s a big insurance company out there in Tower that supports what you do,” she said.
The Bachelor of Climate Change program at the University of Waikato is designed as a three-year course, preparing students to develop expertise in various fields essential for tackling climate change.
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