Staff Reports
U.S. Banks’ Exposures to Climate Transition Risks
Number 1058
April 2023 Revised January 2024

JEL classification: G21, H23, Q54

Authors: Hyeyoon Jung, João A.C. Santos, and Lee Seltzer

We find that banks’ credit exposures to transition risks are modest. We build on the estimated sectoral effects of climate transition policies from general equilibrium models. Even when we consider the strictest policies or the most adverse scenarios, exposures do not exceed 14 percent of banks’ loan portfolios. We also find that commonly used carbon emissions can explain at most 60 percent of bank exposures estimated off general equilibrium models. Moreover, we find evidence of bank management of transition risk exposures. Banks that signed the Net-Zero Alliance have reduced their exposures compared to non-signatories, mainly by cutting lending to the riskiest industries.

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Author Disclosure Statement(s)
Hyeyoon Jung
The author declares that she has no relevant or material financial interests that relate to the research described in this paper.

João A. C. Santos
The author declares that he has no relevant or material financial interests that relate to the research described in this paper. Prior to circulation, this paper was reviewed in accordance with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York review policy, available at https://www.newyorkfed.org/research/staff_reports/index.html.

Lee Seltzer
The author declares that he has no relevant or material financial interests that relate to the research described in this paper. Prior to circulation, this paper was reviewed in accordance with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York review policy, available at https://www.newyorkfed.org/research/staff_reports/index.html.
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