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Stock price effects of climate activism: Evidence from the first Global Climate Strike

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  • Ramelli, Stefano
  • Ossola, Elisa
  • Rancan, Michela

Abstract

The first Global Climate Strike on March 15, 2019, represented a historical turning point in climate activism. We investigate the cross-section of stock price reactions to this event for a large sample of European firms. The strike's unanticipated success caused a decrease in the stock prices of carbon-intensive firms. The effect appears to be driven by the increased public attention to climate activism. Furthermore, after the first Global Climate Strike financial analysts downgraded their longer-term earnings forecasts on carbon-intensive firms.

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  • Ramelli, Stefano & Ossola, Elisa & Rancan, Michela, 2021. "Stock price effects of climate activism: Evidence from the first Global Climate Strike," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:corfin:v:69:y:2021:i:c:s0929119921001395
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2021.102018
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    3. Ahmed, Walid M.A. & Sleem, Mohamed A.E., 2023. "Short- and long-run determinants of the price behavior of US clean energy stocks: A dynamic ARDL simulations approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    4. Siamak Javadi & Abdullah‐Al Masum & Mohsen Aram & Ramesh P. Rao, 2023. "Climate change and corporate cash holdings: Global evidence," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 52(2), pages 253-295, June.
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    7. Alessi, Lucia & Elisa, Ossola & Panzica, Roberto, 2021. "When do investors go green? Evidence from a time-varying asset-pricing model," Working Papers 2021-13, Joint Research Centre, European Commission.
    8. Suleman, Muhammad Tahir & Rehman, Mobeen Ur & Sheikh, Umaid A. & Kang, Sang Hoon, 2023. "Dynamic time-frequency connectedness between European emissions trading system and sustainability markets," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    9. Andrea Jacob & Martin Nerlinger, 2021. "Investors’ Delight? Climate Risk in Stock Valuation during COVID-19 and Beyond," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-17, November.
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    11. Wu, Gabriel Shui Tang & Wan, Wilson Tsz Shing, 2023. "What drives the cross-border spillover of climate transition risks? Evidence from global stock markets," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 432-447.
    12. Qingxia (Jenny) Wang, 2023. "Financial effects of carbon risk and carbon disclosure: A review," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(4), pages 4175-4219, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Climate change; Climate strikes; Stock returns; Environmental performance; Public attention; Earnings forecasts;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G40 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - General
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors

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