Central banks should conduct a successful stabilization policy for both monetary policy and financial stability
Climate change affects central banks — expert. Source: shutterstock.com
Global warming and its consequences are relevant for central banks as these consequences may conceivably have an impact on both financial stability and monetary policy in the long run. This is the conclusion of Conny Olovsson, Ph.D. in economics, who works in the Riksbank’s Research Division.
He told that central banks’ monetary policy, the primary aim of which is to achieve stable prices, may be affected by climate change in several ways. For example, heat waves and droughts result in greater fluctuations in food prices. Financial stability may also be affected. For example, insurance companies may be affected by financial stress following natural disasters caused by climate change if climate risk has been underestimated.
In light of the potentially large and uncertain effects climate change is expected to have, it is highly justifiable for central banks to make an assessment of the total risk this implies for both financial stability and monetary policy going forward. But counteracting global warming will require a global fiscal policy, Conny Olovsson predicts.
SEE ALSO: Throwback Thursday: 7 oldest central banks of the world
