Climate Change Risk
Our business, reputation and ability to attract and retain employees may be harmed if our response to climate change is perceived to be ineffective or insufficient. Climate change exposes us to physical risk as its effects may lead to more frequent and more extreme weather events, such as prolonged droughts or flooding, tornados, hurricanes, wildfires and extreme seasonal weather; and longer-term shifts, such as increasing average temperatures, ozone depletion and rising sea levels. Such events and long-term shifts may damage, destroy or otherwise impact the value or productivity of our properties and other assets; reduce the availability of insurance; and/or disrupt our operations and other activities through prolonged outages. Such events and long-term shifts may also have a significant impact on our customers, which could amplify credit risk by diminishing borrowers’ repayment capacity or collateral values, and other businesses and counterparties with whom we transact, which could have a broader impact on the economy, supply chains and distribution networks.
Climate change also exposes us to transition risks associated with the transition to a less carbon-dependent economy. Transition risks may result from changes in policies; laws and regulations; technologies; and/or market preferences to address climate change. Such changes could materially, negatively impact our business, results of operations, financial condition and/or our reputation, in addition to having a similar impact on our customers. We have customers who operate in carbon intensive industries like oil and gas that are exposed to climate risks, such as those risks related to the transition to a less carbon-dependent economy, as well as customers who operate in low- carbon industries that may be subject to risks associated with new technologies. Federal and state banking regulators and supervisory authorities, investors and other stakeholders have increasingly viewed financial institutions as important in helping to address the risks related to climate change both directly and with respect to their customers, which may result in financial institutions coming under increased pressure regarding the disclosure and management of their climate risks and related lending and investment activities. Given that climate change could impose systemic risks upon the financial sector, either via disruptions in economic activity resulting from the physical impacts of climate change or changes in policies as the economy transitions to a less carbonintensive environment, we face regulatory risk of increasing focus on our resilience to climate-related risks, including in the context of stress testing for various climate stress scenarios. Ongoing legislative or regulatory uncertainties and changes regarding climate risk management and practices may result in higher regulatory, compliance, credit and reputational risks and costs.
MEMBER FDICR(02/22)