Carbon emissions, financial stability and bank profitability in non-crisis years

Carbon emissions, or CO2 emissions, is an important but often overlooked factor affecting financial stability and bank profitability in non-crisis years. The effect of carbon emissions on financial stability and bank profitability in non-crisis years has not been examined in the literature. It is argued that carbon emissions can bring about changes in the environment that create health challenges and financial risks which affect bank profitability and pose a threat to the stability of the financial system in non-crisis years. This study examines the effect of carbon emissions on bank profitability and financial stability in non-crisis years. Twenty-two diverse countries were analysed in non-crisis years. The findings reveal that higher carbon emissions impair financial stability by decreasing banking sector solvency and capital buffer which impair financial stability. Institutional quality mitigates the adverse effect of carbon emissions on financial stability by ensuring greater banking sector solvency in carbon-intensive environments. Institutional quality also reinforces the positive relationship between carbon emissions and bank profitability, particularly banking sector non-interest income. Lagged nonperforming loans, institutional quality, economic growth and regulatory capital ratio are significant determinants of financial stability in non-crisis years while the determinants of bank profitability in non-crisis years are lagged return on asset, the efficiency ratio, institutional quality, inflation rate and unemployment rate.