Policy Solution
Catastrophe (CAT) bond
Funding and Financing
Overview:
Summary: Funds are paid to an insurer when a pre-determined index is triggered like an extreme weather event. Proceeds from the CAT bond are put in a collateral account and only released if the trigger event occurs. If a payment is triggered, typically interest and principal repayment obligation are deferred or forgiven.
Implementation: Use CAT bonds to provide long-term financial protection against climate-related risk. One example is a Resilience Bond, which links catastrophe insurance to infrastructure investments using insurance savings as revenue to fund resilient infrastructure projects.
Considerations for Use: CAT bonds can include interest or repayment discounts to governments that invest in risk-mitigation infrastructure.
- Policy Levers:
Funding and FinancingThe allocation of public or philanthropic funding or private financing to implement projects, including risk transfer mechanisms. - Trigger Points:
Preparatory measures (actions to establish authority to act)Actions to establish/ ensure the authority to act when appropriate trigger-points occur. - Intervention Type:
Planning/Policy - Sectors:
Disaster Risk Management
- Target Beneficiaries:
Business owners, Property owners, Renters, Residents - Phase of Impact:
Risk reduction and mitigation - Metrics:
Proceed amount and allocation
Impact:
- World Bank-Mexico CAT Bond (UC Berkeley, Pg 46)
Case Studies:
Implementation:
- Intervention Scale:
Region, State/Province - Authority and Governance:
National government, State/provincial government - Implementation Timeline:
Short-term (1-2 Years) - Implementation Stakeholders:
City government, Industry, National government, State/provincial government - Funding Sources:
private investment, Public investment - Capacity to Act:
High
- Cost-Benefit:
Medium - Public Good:
Low - GHG Reduction:
N/A - Co-benefits (Climate/Environmental):
N/A - Co-benefits (Social):
Increase property values, Reduce poverty