Mazars, the international audit and advisory firm, and OMFIF, the independent think tank for central banking, economic policy and public investment, recently revealed how central banks and regulators are responding to the climate crisis, in a report  entitled 'Tackling climate change: The role of banking regulation and supervision'.

The report, based on research and surveys with 33 central banks and regulatory authorities, finds that 70% of respondents consider climate change a 'major threat' to financial stability, while just over half of central banks (55%) say they are monitoring climate risks. However, there is disagreement over responsibilities, with 12% overall saying that, while they see climate change as a major risk, action should come from other policy institutions, such as government departments. 

According to the report, central banks and regulatory authorities are increasingly integrating climate risks into their activities. Moving ahead, top measures expected should include an assessment of climate risk as a financial risk in stress tests; encouraging or mandating climate-related financial disclosures; and setting sustainability criteria standards for green finance/lending by regulated banks. While 'market-fixing' initiatives - which involve correcting market failures in financial markets - are gaining traction, central banks report being wary of using more interventionist 'market-shaping' prudential and monetary tools for climate purposes.  

Almost all respondents highlight the lack of appropriate analytical tools, methodologies and data, as major problems. Data availability and quality are the key concern for 84% of respondents. Fragmentation of climate-risk frameworks is also deemed a key challenge, with 31% of respondents concerned about the comparability and consistency of supervisory frameworks. Meanwhile, the inclusion of climate-related considerations in stress tests is still at an early stage, with only a minority (15%) of respondents currently including them in their routine stress tests of financial institutions. But this is set to soar, as nearly four-fifths (79%) say they intend to do so in the future. 

"Four years after the Paris agreement the climate change debate continues to proliferate. Climate change will impact all financial institutions and the topic is high on the agenda of supervisors and regulators around the globe," says Rudi Lang, partner, Leader Financial Institutions Group at Mazars, and sponsor of the report. "The success of any policy response will rely on the engagement of market participants who will be expected to assess, disclose and mitigate their climate change risk and continue to change some of their practices,' highlights Leila Kamdem-Fotso, partner, financial services, Mazars, and contributor to the report. "Encouragingly, collaboration has already started between regulators and the private sector through various initiatives."