From ClimateWire:

Still, some insurance experts question one of the group’s main assertions — that a barrier system would dramatically reduce disaster claims. In an industry filled with number-crunchers, it’s not clear how an insurer could precisely account for those savings years in advance. It’s even harder to determine whether those potential savings would provide a better financial return than traditional investments, some experts say.

“That seems very hard to do in a way that would ensure a return,” said Eli Lehrer, president of the R Street Institute. “You don’t know when a flood that you could avoid by building this infrastructure would happen. And there’s probably no amount of infrastructure that could compensate for the worst-case scenario.”

Despite the difficulties, Lehrer likes the idea of using private capital to build protective infrastructure. He noted that a “levy district” could be created in areas that benefit from the project, helping to shoulder the cost.

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