Bermuda is ideally situated to drive innovation in the area of global climate risk, a panellist told attendees yesterday at the second annual Bermuda Climate Summit.

Mark Guishard is a chartered meteorologist, adjunct scientist and trustee at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences.

He said: “Partnerships are key to advancing not only our understanding of risk but the reduction of it as well, especially in a changing climate.”

Dr Guishard added: “Here in Bermuda, we have this really fantastic nexus of high-density knowledge in science.

“We have a great concentration of risk managers, and I think if we can continue to leverage those partnerships hand-in-hand with the Government of Bermuda, I think Bermuda is uniquely placed to actually drive innovation locally but also outwardly for the world to help protect the developing world in these changing times of risk and climate.”

He was sitting on the panel “Global Climate Risk”, where he was joined by Eric Diaz-Padron, mayor, West Miami; Raveem Ismail, head of parametric underwriting, Africa Specialty Risks (ASR Re); and Lindsay Watson, director of risk mitigation and industry solutions, Living Reefs Foundation.

The moderator was Jeane Nikolai, director of energy, Bermuda Department of Energy.

The two-day conference at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club wraps up on Tuesday with a further six sessions. It is presented by the Bermuda Business Development Agency in partnership with KBRA.