Gabrovo will be part of a European climate insurance pilot

The Bulgarian city is once again testing its pioneering spirit in the local context

Climate adaptation is a term that has yet to gain wide recognition, popularity and acceptance in Bulgaria. It could be partially because the country has been spared the extreme drought and fires that have plagued the rest of Southern Europe for the past two years.

Nevertheless, the past winters have been uncharacteristically dry in the Balkan country as well, leading to lower-output harvests.

One municipality by the name of Gabrovo seeks to change this mindset of ignoring reality and introduce new ways of thinking about urbanism, sustainable development and environmental care in this nation. It's no surprise that the small town was one of only two chosen in Bulgaria as part of the 100 Climate Neutral Cities Mission (together with the capital Sofia).

As part of its goal to stay ahead of the curve, Gabrovo has started its partnership and participation in an EU project called SOTERIA (SOlutions TEsting for Regions through Insurance for Climate Adaptation), together with the cities of Athens and Valencia.

As the climate changes, the insurance industry adapts

Adaptation is the name of the game in all spheres of life. And this is what underlies this project as well, which takes the innovative task of trying out new incentivization methods for preventive measures in communities by offering them more appealing insurance deals.

The project partners will test insurance products and services that reward proactive prevention measures while seeking to increase coverage through co-designed solutions. They will also consider the enabling framework that analyses the role of public sector modernisation and how to develop affordable insurance schemes that leave no one behind.

The project’s focus will be on the main risks and needs to prevent natural disasters such as floods, landslides, forest fires, storms, earthquakes and other phenomena.

The partner cities will have access to a variety of tools and practices to create insurance-aware communities. In that sense, Gabrovo will have the chance and a mission to raise awareness about this overlapping area of climate action and economic development.