2018 Climate Science & Investment Conference

Ice Sheets and Sea Level Rise: Implications for Coastal Property

Friday, May 4, 2018
8 a.m.–1 p.m.

How can advances in climate science research be used to reduce investment risk and improve returns? What is the most current and useful research on ice sheet and sea level rise trends, and what are the near term implications for coastal property? How will these trends affect returns, creating both risks and opportunities for investors and business leaders?

This forum—a joint effort by the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise and the Paul Milstein Center for Real Estate at Columbia Business School, and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory — brings together climate scientists and business leaders to understand how new advances in climate science can inform investments in specific sectors of the global economy. The forum explores topics that address the value and opportunity of using a science-based approach to inform and guide business and investment decisions.

Participants will include leaders from the investment community, a range of business sectors, and academia.

This event is invitation only, and tickets are non-transferable. Space is limited to 100 participants. If you are interested in being added to the invitation list, please contact us.

Agenda

8:00–8:30 a.m.

Breakfast and Registration

8:30–8:35 a.m.

Welcome Remarks

Amy Farrell Senior Sustainable Investing Specialist Sustainable and Impact Investing UBS

8:35–8:45 a.m.

Introductions

Peter deMenocal Thomas Alva Edison/Con Edison Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences; and Director, Center for Climate and Life Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory; Dean of Science, Faculty of Arts and Sciences View presentation

8:45–9:25 a.m.

What Are the Effects of Climate Change?

Robin Bell Palisades Geophysical Institute/Lamont Research Professor, Marine Geology and Geophysics Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory; President American Geophysical Union (AGU) View presentation

< Marco Tedesco Lamont Research Professor, Marine Geology and Geophysics Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory     View presentation

9:25–10:25 a.m.

What Are the Effects of Sea Level Rise on Coastal Property?

Geoffrey Heal Donald C. Waite III Professor of Social Enterprise Columbia Business School   View presentation    Radley Horton Lamont Associate Research Professor Adjunct Associate Professor of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory View presentation

Christopher Mayer Paul Milstein Professor of Real Estate Columbia Business School View presentation

10:25–10:50 a.m.

Coffee Break

10:50–11:30 a.m.

What Are the Effects of Storm Surges and Extreme Climate on Coastal Property?

Marla Schwartz Atmospheric Perils Specialist, Natural Catastrophe Modeling Swiss Re   View presentation

Suzana Camargo Lamont Research Professor, Division of Ocean and Climate Physics Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory; Executive Director Initiative on Extreme Weather and Climate Columbia University View presentation

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Business Impacts Panel Discussion

Michael M. Samuelian President Trust for Governors Island View presentation   Michael Wertz Vice President - Senior Analyst Moody's Investors Service

Rich Sorkin Founder and CEO Jupiter Intelligence View presentation

12:30–1:00 p.m.

Closing Remarks

Bruce Usher Elizabeth B. Strickler ’86 and Mark T. Gallogly ’86 Faculty Director Co-director of The Tamer Center for Social Enterprise Columbia Business School View presentation

References and Links Provided by Speakers

Robin Bell

• Widespread Persistent Thickening of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet by Freezing from the Base, Science
• Miles of Ice Collapsing into the Sea, New York Times
• It's Bottoms Up For Antarctic Ice Sheets, NPR
• Secrets Beneath the Ice, PBS

Suzana Camargo

• Rising Seas Pose a Growing Threat to Coastlines, The Earth Institute
• Fast-Building Storms Play Key Role in Tropical Cyclone Risk, The Earth Institute
• Seismic Sensors Record Hurricane Intensity, Study Finds, The Earth Institute
• Earth Institute Experts Break Down the Causes and Impacts of Hurricane Harvey, The Earth Institute
• Climate Change Didn’t Cause Hurricane Harvey, But It Made It Worse, Fortune

Geoff Heal

• What Would it Take to Reduce US Greenhouse Gas Emissions 80% by 2050?, The National Bureau of Economic Research
• Goldilocks Economies? Temperature Stress and the Direct Impacts of Climate Change, The National Bureau of Economic Research
• Uncertainty and Decision in Climate Change Economics , The National Bureau of Economic Research
• From Growth to Green Growth - a Framework, The National Bureau of Economic Research
• Tipping Climate Negotiations, The National Bureau of Economic Research
• Rising Oceans: Economics and Science

Radley Horton

• Evaluation of Dynamic Coastal Response to Sea-level Rise Modifies Inundation Likelihood, Nature Climate Change
• Towards More Comprehensive Projections of Urban Heat-Related Mortality: Estimates for New York City under Multiple Population, Adaptation, and Climate Scenarios, Environmental Health Perspectives
• Sea Level Rise and Coastal Storms, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
• Joint Projections of US East Coast Sea Level and Storm Surge, Nature Climate Change
• The Climate Risks We Face, The New York Times

Michael M. Samuelian

• Real Estate Executive to Take the Helm at Governors Island, New York Times

Marla Schwartz

• Hurricane Andrew: The 20 miles That Saved Miami, Swiss Re

Rich Sorkin

• Climate Change Could Put Businesses Underwater. Start-up Firm Jupiter Aims to Come to the Rescue, The Washington Post
• What Land Will Be Underwater in 20 Years? Figuring It Out Could Be Lucrative, The New York Times

Marco Tedesco

• As Greenland Melts, Where’s the Water Going?, New York Times
• Fueled by Melting Glaciers, Algae Bloom Off Greenland, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
• Could Climate Change Shut Down the Gulf Stream?, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
• State of the Arctic: Longer Melting Seasons, Thinning Sea Ice, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
• Greenland Set Melt Records in 2015 Consistent with ‘Arctic Amplification’, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
• West Coast or East? Where Greenland's Meltwater Enters the Ocean Matters for Global Climate, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
• Greenland's Ice Is Getting Darker, Increasing Risk of Melting, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

Bruce Usher

• On the Heels of a Boom, a Foggier Future for Solar, Ideas and Insights
• Real Progress on Emissions Can Lead to a Global Pact, New York Times
• The U.S. as a Climate Change Leader?, The Huffington Post

Michael Wertz

• Climate Change is Forecast to Heighten US Exposure to Economic Loss Placing Short- and Long-term Credit Pressure on US States and Local Governments, Moody's
• When Climate Change Becomes a Credit Problem, New York Times

Other References

• The Economic Risks of Climate Change in the United States National Report, Risky Business
• From Risk to Return, Risky Business

News About the Event

• Sea Level Rise and Coastal Development: Science Speaks Directly to Business, Columbia Business School News
• What We Know (and Don’t Know) About Sea Level Rise, The Earth Institute
• To Save Coastal Property from Rising Seas, We Need Collaborative Planning, The Earth Institute