In April 2024, the 2nd General Assembly of the Soteria, organised by BC3 – Basque Centre for Climate Change, convened in Valencia. Over two days, stakeholders engaged in discussions and workshops to assess project progress and envision benefits for partners and case studies.

The main objectives of the General Assembly were to:

• Document the progress at a work package (WP) and task levels.
• Ensure better integration across WPs and tasks and organise the work in key aspects of the dependencies among the tasks.
• Communicate the project’s main output to the relevant Associated Partners and regions and explain how the outcomes will specifically benefit them in achieving their objectives.
• Provide a summary of the work done for each case study. Also, outline the next steps and what input the beneficiaries and partners need to move forward.

The General Assembly brought together Soteria stakeholders from various regions to identify commonalities in using insurance to strengthen climate resilience. The 2 days of workshops and discussions provided critical insights into the initiatives to explore shared approaches to climate mitigation through insurance.

The diversity within the Soteria project is valuable, allowing teams to work on distinct case studies simultaneously and collaborate during the assembly to address challenges collectively. The General Assemblies bring all the teams together to update on their progress and challenges.

Maria Jose Sanz, Scientific Director at the BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change, talked about the purpose of convening the General Assembly, and the insurance industry’s critical role in mitigating climate risks across different case studies. The discussions provided vital insights into the Soteria project’s interconnectedness and diversity of approaches, demonstrating how collaboration and shared learning accelerate progress toward climate resilience.