An environmental agency for a southeast Asian nation increases funding to study historic climate change and its impacts. The agency funds a proposal for a scientific subject matter expert to conduct a large-scale study of the nation’s tree rings.
What information will this study most likely reveal?
A company reduces water usage and increases usage of more expensive resources after regulations become more stringent. This most likely impacts:
A credit loan officer at a commercial bank reviews a loan application from a company engaged in coal-fired power generation. The loan officer examines transition risks associated with the company’s business strategy.
What policy risk driver should the loan officer identify?
Leaders of a small island nation implement a sector-specific carbon reduction policy to address climate change. The policy includes a commitment to reduce country emissions through NDCs under the Paris Agreement. Which of the following emission reduction policies is the nation most likely implementing?
A German automotive manufacturer expands its EV line to comply with tightening emission regulations in key European markets. The firm conducts transition risk scenario analysis to evaluate financial and operational exposure to policy changes, carbon pricing, and market shifts. Which transition risk input did the firm most likely use while conducting the scenario analysis?
In response to consumer demand for eco-friendly products, a global personal care company develops a net-zero transition plan. The company sustainability team recommends an appropriate carbon accounting method for the plan. Which of the following country-level emission accounting methods is most likely recommended and why?
In response to policy and technology changes, a cement manufacturer looks for new opportunities to raise profits by reducing GHG emissions. Because the cement industry accounts for a considerable percentage of global emissions, the manufacturer joins a coalition of company peers. The coalition lobbies country governments to adhere to the Paris Agreement nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
Which of the following actions does the coalition recommend?
A senior portfolio analyst at a global asset management firm performs a portfolio review to identify assets that may be affected by climate risk. Preliminary findings show the firm heavily invests in food and beverage companies with high climate risk exposure due to extreme temperatures and droughts. In a report to senior management, the analyst notes the firm can improve portfolio performance by examining physical risk, as the firm currently focuses primarily on transition risk.
Which approach to examining physical risk at the portfolio level should the analyst recommend?
A climate scientist is invited to a morning news program to discuss human influence on Earth’s climate. Prior to the program, a producer asserts climate change is a natural process, citing Earth’s historical climate shifts. What example does the scientist most likely provide to highlight human influence on climate?
A federal regulator analyzes how the increasing frequency of natural disasters may impact the banking sector. The regulator reviews and evaluates the potential for widespread climate events to simultaneously affect multiple financial institutions and drive cascading economic disruptions. What risk type is the regulator most likely evaluating?
A sustainability analyst at a global commercial bank researches trends surrounding the green loan market in China to develop a new business strategy. The analyst finds green loans are gaining popularity in various sectors due to environmental and financial benefits. If the analyst recommends the addition of green loans to the business strategy, what China market trend most likely supports this decision?
A large insurance company in South America expands use of climate scenario analysis. The company used RCPs in previous scenario analyses but now hires an actuary with climate expertise to incorporate SSPs in this process.
How can the actuary advise the insurance company use SSPs going forward?
A financial services firm in South America evaluates climate-related financial risks and opportunities to align with ISSB reporting standards. The firm initiates a scenario analysis to determine potential impacts on its investment portfolio. To enable a thorough assessment, which climate scenario input parameter should the firm prioritize in the analysis?
At an international finance bank, a lack of staff clarity regarding sustainability, climate, and ESG definitions led to overlapping and inefficient initiatives. To minimize inefficiencies, the sustainability department develops new terminology for use across the bank.
What should the department include in this new terminology?
Alimento Y Agricultura (AYA) is a food and agriculture conglomerate headquartered in Costa Rica with operations throughout Central America. AYA historically produced coffee, bananas, and sugar. Over the last decade, the company growing region experienced climate-related crop production challenges. The region suffered prolonged drought conditions and severe flooding events. AYA leadership may relocate existing coffee farm locations in response to these climate stressors.
Last year Costa Rica introduced mandatory climate risk reporting aligned with ISSB standards The government mandate compelled AYA to enhance its transition and physical risk assessment across the company. A newly formed sustainability governance team prioritizes the following objectives:
• Update TCFD reporting with new ISSB IFRS S2 requirements
• Initiate more comprehensive scenario analysis
• Conduct nature and water risk assessments
AYA previously reported climate risks aligned with all TCFD pillars, risk categories, and scenario analysis recommendations. Reporting includes all Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, reduction targets, and appointments of board officers responsible for climate risks. Scenario analysis is used to assess all banana, coffee, and sugar production climate risk exposure.
AYA uses 2°C and 4°C climate scenarios to assess company impacts from physical and transition risk. Under the 2°C scenario transition risk increases, while under the 4°C scenario water risk significantly increases.
AYA appoints an SCR certificate holder to the position of nature risk manager to advance nature-based assessments. The manager contracts with a nature risk consultancy to better understand and manage exposure to nature-related risks and impacts. The consultancy identifies crop production, water quality, and water quantity as the primary nature-based risks.
The consultancy produces the following graph to demonstrate coffee crop productivity:
If growing conditions fall below 1, it is not economical for AYA to continue coffee production in the region. Point A indicates current growing conditions. Point B is a forecast of future conditions under a 4°C scenario, created by the consultancy model.
After identifying nature risks broadly, AYA performs a water risk assessment (WRA). The WRA assesses historical and future water withdrawal rates and identifies operational water dependencies.
Following the WRA, the company engages with existing stakeholders to adapt existing business strategy. AYA initiates a pilot project with upstream farmers to protect their land. AYA will either train or pay local farmers to plant shrubbery and buffer zones to reduce erosion and runoff of sediments, nutrients, and pathogens from local crop production and industry.
Which LEAP concept best describes Point A in the context of coffee growing conditions?
Which of the following greenhouse gases (GHGs) has the longest lifetime in the atmosphere?
A technology company announces a goal of increasing recycling programs by 30% and reducing company carbon emissions by 50% by 2040. A climate risk analyst at the company develops a sustainability framework and identifies ways to measure company-level transition and physical risks.
Which of the following should the analyst use to measure company-level transition risk?
A fashion company raises an SLL to improve the company ESG score. The sustainability team identifies two sustainability KPIs for finalizing the loan with a financial institution. Which of the following KPIs did the team most likely recommend for the SLL?
The CRO of an automobile manufacturer in North America prepares a keynote address on risks in the auto sector over the next decade. The CRO highlights the primary technology risks facing its line of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
At approximately what point will many manufacturers of ICE vehicles experience a significant technology risk?
As climate change poses new financial risks to a central bank’s monetary policy operations, the bank decides to adapt operations with NGFS guidelines. Because the central bank does not include climate change in supervision practices, the bank consults subject matter experts (SMEs) to develop a proposal for central bank action on climate change. After completing the risk assessment, SMEs recommend the bank incorporate microprudential and macroprudential measures to embed climate change into supervision practices.
Which action are SMEs likely to recommend?
A solar panel manufacturing company for renewable energy systems makes a 2040 net-zero commitment. The company sustainability director references the COSO ERM framework to inform the company’s long-term growth strategy. Which approach will the director most likely use to effectively assess the impact of transition risk on the business strategy?
A global logistics company evaluates how climate change could disrupt its global distribution network. The CSO recommends a scenario analysis exercise to explore long-term risks and opportunities. Which of the following variables should the company include to effectively develop climate scenarios?
The CRO for a large agriculture company reviews reference scenarios as part of an annual climate scenario analysis exercise. The CRO creates a transition risk matrix that compares four different scenarios - W, X, Y, Z. Scenarios are compared according to scale of emissions cuts and pace of emission cuts. Scale is depicted as business as usual (BAU) to net-zero. Pace is depicted as orderly to disorderly. The CRO uses this matrix to explain transition risk to the company’s executive members:
How should the CRO rank the reference scenarios from lowest level of transition risk to highest level of transition risk?
An international hotel chain reviews progress on sustainability goals in preparation for an Earth Day marketing campaign. A sustainability director suggests the hotel highlight how its energy and food sustainability initiatives align with UN SDG targets.
Which of the following correctly describes an SDG target that the hotel could align with?
Senior management of a sportswear manufacturer will issue a bond to optimize company capital structure, while providing investors with an opportunity to contribute to positive transformation of the fashion industry. Management prefers a bond with a high rate of issuance, and the company sustainability team researches various green and sustainable finance instruments and issuance information over the past 5 years. The team recommends a bond that globally posted the highest growth in issuance between 2019 and 2020.
Which bond did the team recommend?
Senior management of a sportswear manufacturer will issue a bond to optimize company capital structure, while providing investors with an opportunity to contribute to positive transformation of the fashion industry. Management prefers a bond with a high rate of issuance, and the company sustainability team researches various green and sustainable finance instruments and issuance information over the past 5 years. The team recommends a bond that globally posted the highest growth in issuance between 2019 and 2020.
Which bond did the team recommend?
The climate risk team at a global bank works on a sustainability and climate risk report for a forthcoming company strategy meeting. The meeting will focus on bank goals to achieve net zero GHG emissions by 2050. Bank leaders will discuss potential risk exposures the bank may face, as well as possible financial systemic effects.
Which of the following is an example of how systemic climate risk can translate into liquidity risk for the bank?
A global investment bank expands its risk department to include climate risk assessment. Senior management directs the department to implement approaches for evaluating how climate change affects traditional risk types. A risk manager recommends risk metrics for key risk types that measure physical and transition risk impacts.
To measure credit risk, which metric should the analyst recommend?
A retail company operates internationally, and increasingly incurs scrutiny for environmental and social impacts. In response, the company adopts the SDGs. The company sustainability director begins this process by linking the SDGs to material concerns for the company.
Which strategy should the director suggest the company take to directly address one of the SDGs?
A European bank considers investing in an offshore wind farm project. A bank ESG analyst assists in the origination and execution of green and sustainable finance transactions to finance the project. The analyst recommends a loan to finance the project by gathering related materials on sustainability-linked loans (SLLs), green loans, and corresponding market trends.
Which of the following loans is the analyst likely to recommend?
A European bank surveyed its most prominent clients to assess interest in sustainability-linked loans (SLLs) and green loans. The survey came after a recent study showed higher profitability rates of SLLs and green products than classical banking products. After positive feedback, the bank decides to introduce SLLs and green loans. The bank’s sustainability loan officer writes a new loan product guideline for corporate clients that explains SLLs and green loans.
How will the bank officer describe these loan types?
The risk team for a multinational company, that operates and franchises hotel and timeshare properties, prepares talking points for an upcoming business continuity plan meeting. A key area for discussion are the risks that can impact the company’s financial and reputational stability. The team recommends the company conduct climate-related scenario analysis and provides examples of scenarios and their use.
Which of the following is correct for the team to include as part of the talking points?
After recent summer and winter temperature extremes disrupt operations, a national oil company evaluates its 10-year business plan. The risk department reviews how corporate assets, both physical and human, are resilient to climate change. Early in the planning process, a risk team member emphasizes the importance of planning for both acute and chronic climate hazards.
How should the team member describe acute and chronic hazards in terms of the 10-year strategy?
A national regulator develops a new taxonomy for environmentally sustainable activities and policies. The taxonomy will provide clarity for companies, capital markets, and policymakers on sustainable activities. During the development process, regulators survey taxonomies used across various jurisdictions and decide to model after the EU Taxonomy.
Which characteristic of the EU Taxonomy will the regulator most likely implement in the new taxonomy?
A senior sustainability consultant at an African think tank explains the complexities of different Earth science systems to a group of ESG practitioners as part of the think tank’s continuing education program.
Which of the following statements by the sustainability consultant accurately describes the Earth’s greenhouse effect?