Climate change events and stock market returns

Abstract

Using an event study methodology, we investigate how unexpected political events affect climate-sensitive sectors. We find that events related to climate change policy have significantly impacted returns. The clean energy sector benefitted from the Paris Agreement, Climategate, and Fukushima since these events increased climate change awareness and favor toward policies related to reducing the impact of climate change. For the utilities, energy-intensive, and transport sectors, these events imply increased transition-related political and market risks, which should be compensated. Events weakening climate change policy are associated with positive abnormal returns for the fossil energy sector. We further find that stock market investors are quick to adapt to new information related to climate change. Policymakers should be aware of such events' impact on the stock market because the investors are likely to price in both climate risk and expectation about sectors' growth.

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