MetLife Australia has renewed a three-year partnership with the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, continuing its support for a scientific initiative aimed at preserving Australia’s rainforest biodiversity in the face of climate change.
The insurer will back the Rainforest Seed Conservation Project, operated by the Australian Institute of Botanical Science, which focuses on the storage and protection of native seeds threatened by ecological disruption.
The program integrates research, conservation strategies, and public education to help mitigate the impact of a shifting climate on fragile ecosystems.
Wendy Tse, MetLife Australia’s chief of staff for strategy and external affairs, said partnering with Botanic Gardens of Sydney provides a channel for contributing to vital environmental work.
“It brings to life our commitment to building a more confident future for our communities and the environment,” she said.
Dr Cathy Offord, who leads the project through the Australian PlantBank, said that the program’s core objective is long-term ecological preservation through seed research.
“Australian rainforest plants are under threat from habitat fragmentation, weeds, disease, and climate change. By investigating seed storability and developing preservation methods, our program is vital for protecting and preserving Australia’s fragile and important rainforest ecosystems for future generations,” she said.
The announcement coincides with newly released climate risk data that underscores the insurance industry’s concerns about rising exposure.
A joint report by Climate Valuation and the Climate Council found that approximately 652,000 Australian homes and commercial buildings – representing around 4.4% of total properties – were already classified as high risk due to climate-exacerbated natural disasters such as flooding, wildfires, and severe weather events. An additional 1.55 million properties were considered moderately at risk, where premium increases are likely to persist.
These figures were derived from an analysis of more than 15 million addresses across federal electorates and suburbs and fed into the Climate Risk Map, a digital platform that visualises risk at a granular level.
Forecasts suggested that under scenarios with continued high emissions, the number of high-risk properties could more than double by the year 2100.
Nicki Hutley, an economist and Climate Council member, said the data illustrated the direct economic implications of extreme weather for Australian households.
“The climate crisis is literally at the doorstep of Australian households, as worsening extreme weather driven by climate pollution risks their greatest asset: the home,” she said. “We keep getting hit by disasters in Australia and that’s driving insurance bills through the roof, but we cannot insure our way out of this crisis.”
