With the escalating alarm of climate change, investors globally are starting to recognize its inherent risks, prompting a paradigm shift in financial modelling. However, the journey is fraught with obstacles due to the paucity of comprehensive environmental data and the inconsistency in corporate disclosures. Rick Stathers, a prominent figure at Aviva Investors, underscores a market failure in appreciating the potential impacts of climate change on the global economy.
Open-source Climate Models: A Beacon of Hope
Matt Goldklang from Man Numeric, along with other farsighted investors, are turning to open-source climate models to gauge which companies might bear the brunt of climate-related events. Man Numeric has pioneered models to evaluate physical risks such as drought and potential impacts of emissions regulations on company earnings. This innovative approach led to revelations like identifying a US food production company at higher risk due to its water dependency.
The Cost of Climate Change
BloombergNEF’s analysis reveals that drought is the most expensive weather risk for companies, resulting in a median loss of 0.3% of annual revenue. This statistic underlines the economic peril that companies face due to environmental changes. The rise of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investment criteria has galvanized funds to advocate for improved corporate environmental practices. However, this initiative is facing a political backlash in the US, revealing a divisive landscape.
Quantifying Climate Risks: The Need for More Data
Asset managers are resorting to diverse methods to quantify climate risks. Some are constructing heat maps, while others are factoring in government carbon emission targets. Nonetheless, the unanimous sentiment among them is the urgent need for more detailed data for precise analysis. Lombard Odier Investment Managers, for example, is embarking on a project to measure soil health to gauge risks to food systems. However, they require more granular data at the farm level to derive actionable insights. The nexus of climate change and finance is increasingly apparent, underlining the critical need for robust risk assessments and resilient infrastructure design to mitigate potential losses.
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