Allianz : Sites for sore eyes

We've grown up watching documentaries about them, 'liked' the stunning social media images that show off their beauty, spent our vacations among them, even put some of them on our bucket lists.

Our future generations, however, might be deprived of life's little joys like these.

Take for example, the Great Barrier Reef, that breathtaking display of underwater colors off the Australian coast. Or the Everglades National Park, the 'river of grass' in Florida which has inspired many a Hollywood movie. Climate change, contaminants from land run-offs, coastal development and excessive fishing are increasing the possibility of the world's largest coral reef system becoming just a chapter in tomorrow's history books.

Everglades, which holds an unenviable spot in UNESCO's danger list, has suffered the ravages of urban growth, pollution, and natural disasters.

From the historic center of Vienna to the silver mining city of Potosí in Bolivia to the East Rennell in the Solomon Islands and the tropical rainforests of Sumatra, many heritage sites are already in the threatened list. Many others are being subjected to activities that could land them a spot on this list.

Can insurers change their fate? The United Nations certainly believes so, as demonstrated by its Principles for Sustainable Insurance Initiative (PSI), to which Allianz is a signatory.