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Physical and transition risk premiums in euro area corporate bond markets

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  • Bats, Joost Victor
  • Bua, Giovanna
  • Kapp, Daniel

Abstract

The European Union plays a prominent role in climate regulations initiatives, this commitment likely implies that climate risk premiums look different in Europe compared to the rest of the world. This paper examines the pricing implications of climate risks in euro area corporate bond markets, focusing on physical and transition risk. Using climate news as a gauge for systematic climate risk, we find a significant pricing effect of physical risk in long-term bonds, with investors demanding higher returns on bonds exposed to physical risk shocks. The estimated physical risk premium is 34 basis points, indicating increased awareness and hedging demand after the Paris Agreement. Transition risk premiums are smaller and less significant, reflecting the ongoing transition to a low-carbon economy. Our findings contribute to understanding climate risk pricing in the European bond markets, highlighting the importance of physical risk and the evolving nature of investor demand for climate-resilient assets. JEL Classification: G12, G14, G28, Q51, Q54

Suggested Citation

  • Bats, Joost Victor & Bua, Giovanna & Kapp, Daniel, 2024. "Physical and transition risk premiums in euro area corporate bond markets," Working Paper Series 2899, European Central Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecb:ecbwps:20242899
    Note: 1884807
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    climate physical risk; climate transition risk; corporate bonds; intertemporal hedging demand; news index;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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