The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched two consultations on expanding the scope of climate risk reporting rules.
The proposals follow the introduction of climate-related disclosure rules for the most prominent listed commercial companies in December 2020 which are aligned with the recommendations of the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
In the latest consultations the FCA is proposing:
- to extend the application of its TCFD-aligned Listing Rule for premium-listed commercial companies to issuers of standard listed equity shares
- to introduce TCFD-aligned disclosure requirements for asset managers, life insurers, and FCA-regulated pension providers, with a focus on the information needs of clients and consumers
Sheldon Mills, Executive Director of Consumer and Competition at the FCA said: ‘The climate change challenge affects the whole of society. It is vital that the financial services sector plays a leading role in addressing this challenge. Managing the risks of climate change and transitioning to a cleaner and less carbon-intensive economy will require high quality information on how climate-related risks and opportunities are being managed throughout the investment chain.
‘However, climate-related disclosures do not yet meet investors’ and market participants’ needs. The new rules will help markets, investors and ultimately consumers better understand the impact of climate change and make more informed decisions.’
The new proposals are among the FCA’s first substantive policy proposals for the UK asset management and asset owner sectors since the end of the EU Withdrawal transition period. Given the global reach of regulated firms operating in the UK, the FCA says it has approached the design of the regime “with international consistency in mind and to accommodate firms’ different business models”.
The FCA is inviting feedback to both consultations by 10 September 2021 and intends to confirm its final policy on climate-related disclosures before the end of 2021.
