The European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) have released a report detailing climate risk strategies to enhance the stability of the European Union’s financial system amid climate change threats. The key findings and recommendations of the report are:
- The report proposes a comprehensive set of frameworks including the creation of a surveillance system and a Chartbook to monitor the stability of financial indicators heavily impacted by climate change.
- The strategies put forth extend to nature-related risks, painting a broad picture of risk management against climate change.
- Banks lend significantly more to sectors that have high exposure to climate-related risks; such sectors are overly represented in bank loans, with a lending share 75% higher than their share in economic activity.
- The report warns of possible financial instability as banks and markets make adjustments to their asset portfolios in response to increasing climate hazards and the EU’s green transition plans.
The report also advocates for a system-wide prudential approach, covering not just banking sectors but also borrowers and non-bank financial intermediaries. It addresses the need to cover insurance protection gaps and the necessity for reliable environmental disclosures. The degradation of nature and its impact on financial stability is also highlighted, pointing out that a significant portion of bank loans and insurer investments are in sectors that depend on ecosystem services.
This joint report by the ECB and ESRB signifies a significant step towards understanding and addressing the financial risks posed by climate and nature-related changes. The report is part of the ECB’s broader response to climate change, which has previously included three other reports on climate risk. ECB Board Member, Frank Elderson, has emphasized that their approach aims to cover a wide range of climate and nature-related risks to ensure the resilience of the EU financial system.
