FCA Sets Out Priorities on Climate Change and Green Finance
FCA published feedback statement (FS19/6) on its October 2018 discussion paper (DP18/8) on climate change and green finance. Through the discussion paper, FCA sought views on the potential FCA action on climate change and green finance, in line with its strategic objective of ensuring that relevant financial markets function well. The statement identifies a number of priorities that will provide a foundation for the future work of FCA in this area. These priorities include issuers’ climate change disclosures, regulated firms’ integration of climate change risk and opportunities into their decision-making, and consumers’ access to green financial products and services.
The feedback statement applies to policy makers and regulatory bodies, regulated firms, issuers, investors, and advisers to issuers and investors, industry groups/trade bodies, industry experts and commentators, consumer groups and individual consumers, charities, and academics and think tanks. The statement sets out the key actions FCA will take:
- Consult in 2020 on new rules to improve climate-related disclosures by certain firms and clarify existing obligations
- Finalize rule changes requiring Independent Governance Committees to oversee and report on firms’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and stewardship policies
- Publish a feedback statement in response to a joint Discussion paper with the Financial Reporting Council on Stewardship, setting out actions to address the most significant barriers to effective stewardship
- Clarify expectations about consumer access to green financial products and services and take appropriate action to prevent consumers from being misled
- Continue to contribute to several collaborative initiatives, including the Government-led cross-regulator taskforce on disclosures and the Climate Financial Risk Forum (CFRF), which was established with PRA earlier this year.
FCA had received 73 responses to the discussion paper from a range of stakeholders, including regulated firms, trade bodies, and think tanks. The feedback has been summarized under five key themes: climate-related disclosures by securities issuers; climate-related disclosures by regulated firms; common metrics and standards on sustainability; stakeholder concerns, commercial priorities, and barriers to growth; and industry engagement.
Related Links
Keywords: Europe, UK, Banking, Insurance, Securities, Climate Change, Green Finance, Climate-Related Disclosures, FCA
Previous Article
ESRB Updates List of Countercyclical Capital Buffers in October 2019Related Articles
PRA to Elaborate on Approach to Transposition of CRD5 by Mid-December
PRA published a statement that explains when to expect further information on the PRA approach to transposing the Capital Requirements Directive (CRD5), including its approach to revisions to the definition of capital for Pillar 2A.
SRB Sets Out Work Program for 2021-2023
SRB published the work program for 2021-2023, setting out a roadmap to further operationalize the Single Resolution Fund and to achieve robust resolvability of banks under its remit over the next three years.
EIOPA Consults on KPIs on Sustainability for Non-Financial Reporting
EIOPA is consulting on the relevant ratios to be mandatorily disclosed by insurers and reinsurers falling within the scope of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive as well as on the methodologies to build these ratios.
US Agencies Issue Statement on LIBOR Transition
US Agencies (FDIC, FED, and OCC) issued a joint statement encouraging banks to cease entering into new contracts that use USD LIBOR as a reference rate as soon as practicable and in any event by December 31, 2021, to facilitate an orderly LIBOR transition.
GHOS Endorses Coordinated Approach to Mitigate COVID Risks for Banks
The Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision (GHOS), the oversight body of BCBS, endorsed a coordinated approach to mitigate COVID-19 risks to the global banking system.
HM Treasury Extends Consultation Dates for FRF and Solvency II Reviews
HM Treasury extended the consultation period on Phase II of the Future Regulatory Framework (FRF) Review, from January 19, 2021 to February 19, 2021.
ECB Publishes Guide on Management of Climate and Environmental Risks
ECB finalized guidance on the way it expects banks to prudently manage and transparently disclose climate and other environmental risks under the current prudential rules.
BCBS Amends Capital Treatment of Non-Performing Loan Securitizations
BCBS published a technical amendment to the capital treatment of securitizations of non-performing loans by banks.
PRA Policy on Stressed VaR and RNIV Calculations Under Market Risk
PRA published the policy statement PS23/20 on the calculation of stressed value at risk (sVAR) and risks not in value at risk (RNIV) under the market risk framework.
BoE to Move Statistical Data Collection to BEEDs Portal
BoE announced that the Data and Statistics Division is planning to move collection of statistical data to the BoE Electronic Data Submission (BEEDS) portal.
