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10/22/2021

Financial Stability Oversight Council Identifies Climate Change as an Emerging and Increasing Threat to Financial Stab…

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Financial Stability Oversight Council Identifies Climate Change
as an Emerging and Increasing Threat to Financial Stability
October 21, 2021

In First Step, FSOC Releases Report and Recommendations on Climate-related Financial Risk
WASHINGTON — The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) has released a new report
in response to President Biden’s Executive Order 14030, Climate-related Financial Risk. For
the first time, FSOC has identified climate change as an emerging and increasing threat to
U.S. financial stability. The report and accompanying recommendations demonstrate FSOC’s
commitment to building on and accelerating existing e orts on climate change through
concrete recommendations for member agencies to:
Assess climate-related financial risks to financial stability, including through scenario
analysis, and evaluate the need for new or revised regulations or supervisory guidance to
account for climate-related financial risks;
Enhance climate-related disclosures to give investors and market participants the
information they need to make informed decisions, which will also help regulators and
financial institutions assess and manage climate-related risks;
Enhance actionable climate-related data to allow better risk measurement by regulators
and in the private sector; and
Build capacity and expertise to ensure that climate-related financial risks are identified
and managed.
“Climate change is an emerging and increasing threat to America’s financial system that
requires action,” Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen said. “FSOC’s report and
recommendations represent an important first step towards making our financial system
more resilient to the threat of climate change. These measures will support the
Administration’s urgent, whole-of-government e ort on climate change and help the
financial system support an orderly, economy-wide transition toward the goal of net-zero
emissions.”

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0426

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10/22/2021

Financial Stability Oversight Council Identifies Climate Change as an Emerging and Increasing Threat to Financial Stab…

While the report recommends that FSOC members take new actions on climate change data,
disclosure, and scenario analysis, it also discusses how individual members are already
taking important steps forward. For example:
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has begun to evaluate its disclosure
rules and requested public comment on ways to improve climate disclosure.
The Federal Reserve Board (FRB) has established two committees to develop a better
understanding of climate-related risks and incorporate them into its supervision of
financial firms and into its financial stability framework.
The Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has engaged on climate-related
financial risk issues through its Market Risk Advisory Committee (MRAC). In September
2020, the MRAC’s climate subcommittee issued a report entitled Managing Climate Risk
in the U.S. Financial System, with recommendations to address the growing impact of
climate-related financial risk.
Both the Federal Housing Financing Agency (FHFA) and the Treasury Department’s
Federal Insurance O ice have requested information on climate-related financial risks
from the public to inform their activities
Established under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, FSOC is
charged with identifying risks to U.S. financial stability, promoting market discipline, and
responding to emerging threats to the stability of the U.S. financial system. FSOC consists of
10 voting members and 5 nonvoting members and brings together the expertise of federal
financial regulators, state regulators, and an independent insurance expert appointed by the
President.
The full report and recommendations can be found here.
can be found here.

A factsheet on FSOC’s actions

A copy of Secretary Yellen’s remarks during the open session can be

found here and a readout of FSOC’s meeting can be found here.

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0426

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