Annual Report 1997/1998 - Munich Re

Munich Re Topical subjects
Munich Re and the environment:
advising, preserving, changing
We are not an industrial concern.
Our operations do not produce sewage
sludge; we do not manufacture
hazardous goods; nor do we use
energy-intensive production processes.
Nevertheless, environmental issues
affect us as reinsurers directly and
inevitably. We are facing up to them.
External environmental
consulting
External environmental consulting
For many years Munich Re’s
Geoscience Research Group has
been regarded as one of the most
competent teams of experts on the
subject of natural catastrophes and
climate change. The media worldwide
regularly refer to its findings and
draw on its specialist knowledge.
Against the background of increasing
catastrophe losses due to climatic and
environmental changes, the Research
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Group advocates rapid and extensive
measures to curb man’s interference
with the natural ecological balance.
Together with other insurers and
reinsurers, we aim to develop
precautionary and preventive
measures against the impacts of
impending environmental changes.
We are also working on concepts with
which the insurance industry can
promote environmentally friendly
behaviour in future.
Our business partners can make use
of the services of our subsidiary
Münchener Ecoconsult GmbH for risk
analyses at industrial firms and other
businesses. Its experts analyse the
effectiveness of water protection
measures, emission controls,
prevention of fire and explosion,
hazard avoidance and environmental
protection management. They also
give advice following actual cases of
pollution, where contaminated water
or soil has to be cleaned up, for
example.