The Department of Treasury’s Federal Insurance Office (FIO) released a report revealing how climate change is making homeowners insurance more expensive and harder to obtain across the United States. The report analyzes zip code level data—much of which was also released—obtained from insurers by FIO and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund led and submitted a letter to the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) on the agency’s draft 2025-2026 budget. It urges NCUA to appropriately dedicate funding to support credit unions on climate-related financial risk mitigation, climate resilience, and providing safe, equitable
The climate threat is growing. So is the cost of protecting our homes from its damage. Two weeks ago, Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified in Florida, demonstrating the terrifying magnitude that climate change-fueled extreme weather events can reach. Across the country, the growing frequency and intensity of wildfires, hurricanes, and even thunderstorms will require a new approach to insuring homes and communities.
NEW YORK – Today, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander announced a commitment to exclude new pension investments in private equity-backed fossil fuel midstream and downstream companies and projects, addressing a significant loophole in the funds’ Net-Zero Implementation Plan. This makes NYCERS, NYCTRS, and NYCBERS – three of New York City public pensions representing $207 billion in assets – the first-in-the-nation to make such a commitment, setting precedent for funds across the country and around the world to follow suit.
New report recommends financial and trade reforms to improve data and accountability on financial flows and help close the climate finance gaps in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
Since fall 2023, AFREF and partners have been part of an ongoing Campaign for Lower Home Energy Costs. The goal is for The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to require new homes with mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to be built to
AFREF authored a memo endorsed by nine partner organizations, which highlights opportunities for financial institutions to mitigate climate-related financial risk in a way that doesn’t violate fair lending and supports communities while building resilience through Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) opportunities.
The 2024 Private Equity Climate Risks Scorecard studied 21 private equity firms that manage $6 trillion worth of companies, and found that two-thirds of the energy companies in their portfolios are invested in fossil fuels, using hundreds of millions of dollars from pension funds. Their gigaton of carbon emissions is over three times as much as from the energy used to power all the homes in America and exceeds those of the global aviation industry.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved a new standard from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) that clarifies the “General Responsibilities” of an auditor in conducting a public company audit. AFREF and Public Citizen submitted a comment to the PCAOB on the proposed standard.
Americans for Financial Reform joined a coalition letter to the California Assembly Natural Resources Committee supporting the passage of SB 219 offering technical amendments to the recently passed historic Senate Bill 253, the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, and Senate Bill 261, the Climate-related Financial