Climate change

Incoming administration officials, especially Treasury Secretary-designate Janet Yellen, are expected to push for stress tests, public disclosures and other requirements aimed at gauging banks' climate exposure and minimizing the threat of global warming to the financial system.

His comments came a day after the Fed announced it had formally joined an international network of central bankers and regulators focused on mitigating climate risk to the financial sector.

The Federal Reserve said Tuesday that it had joined the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System after participating in discussions with the group for over a year.

In November, the Sierra Club singled out Bank of America as "the only major U.S. bank not to rule out financing for the destruction of the Arctic refuge" after its five biggest competitors updated their policies this year.

Global regulators are considering a universal stress test for climate change that requires lenders to use a 30-year horizon, a difficult and speculative projection of the energy industry that could harm bank financials.

The industry is asking for more time to comment on a regulatory proposal that aims to prohibit banks from denying services to oil and gas companies and other firms in politically sensitive industries.

The Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials recently released a methodology for measuring the environmental impact of loans and investments, a key hurdle to the banking industry's long-term goal of net-zero emissions tied to its portfolios.

If the GOP can hold its majority in the chamber, Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., will likely become the panel's chairman. His ardent support for free-market principles could set up partisan clashes with Democrats over pandemic relief, money laundering rules and more.

The Toronto company says it will begin by gathering data on the greenhouse gas emissions of borrowers — a critical first step toward stress testing for climate events.

Temporary policy responses have mitigated problems in the short-term funding markets related to the pandemic, but permanent fixes may be necessary in some areas, the agency said in a report.