Do banks price environmental risk? Only when local beliefs are binding!

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Authors: İrem Erten, Steven Ongena
Cited by: 6
References: 55

Abstract

What is the impact on the cost of bank credit of local corporate environmental and biodiversity exposure? At loan origination, banks charge higher rates to firms creating more environmental damage, especially when they are lowly capitalized, and when the firms operate in “greener” states with lower climate denial and more negative environmental news. Biodiversity risk is also priced, especially when public interest in it intensifies. Following the Trump withdrawal from Paris, banks modulate their environmental risk pricing in “browner” states. In sum, environmental risk pricing in bank lending is also driven by local beliefs and attitudes.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Islamic Finance and Banking Studies

Publication details

Journal / source
Journal of Financial Stability
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
86
Pages
101570–101570
Publication date
28 July 2026
Language
EN