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FT: How investors are underpricing climate risks


Fireman putting out a fire with a fire hose

The big danger is of a "Climate Minsky Moment," a sudden correction in asset values as investors simultaneously realise those values are unsustainable..


So far, businesses and investors have paid less attention to the physical effects of climate change and more to the costs and risks of decarbonising. So lets look at it the other way...


  • Equity and bonds: At Net Zero, involving ambitious decarbonisation, cumulative returns over 40 years are 10% lower than a baseline assuming no climate change, and at a failed transition, 40% lower.


  • Agriculture: Climate disasters could put at least $314bn of annual output in jeopardy


  • Water: By 2030, demand is forecast to exceed supply by 40%


  • Housing: US residential properties exposed to flood risks are overvalued by between $121bn and $237bn & We can expect a $495bn fall in US property values if insurers reprice wildfire risks


  • People: Potentially displaced people by climate-related factors by 2050 can reach 1.2bn


Investors are only starting to price in decarbonisation. Importantly we need to start counting the costs of inaction too.


Have a read of this great article by the FT here.


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