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Journal of Corporate Finance Vol. 94 2025

Voluntary disclosures and climate change uncertainty: Evidence from CDS premiums

Michael B. Imerman1; Xiaoxia Ye2; Ran Zhao3

1 University of California, Irvine · 2 University of Nottingham · 3 San Diego State University

open access

Abstract

We examine the effect of voluntary climate risk disclosure on Credit Default Swap (CDS) premiums. We develop a structural model, in which climate-related disclosures serve as an information source reducing climate change uncertainty. The model predicts a negative relation between the informativeness of climate risk disclosure and the CDS premium, and asymmetric effects of positive and negative disclosure tone on the CDS premium. Using climate risk measures quantified from earnings call transcripts, we provide evidence supporting these predictions with causal inference. Our study suggests that climate risk is priced in the CDS market, where investors pay attention to climate risk disclosures.

DOI
10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102831
Volume
94
Pages
102831
Language
en
Sources
bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref

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