StudyGuide LearningObjectives SCR24
StudyGuide LearningObjectives SCR24
AND LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
2024 SCR STUDY GUIDE AND
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Topic Outlines, Readings, and Test Weightings
This SCR Study Guide and Learning Objectives document describes primary topics covered in the SCR Exam. The SCR Advisory
Committee identified these curriculum topics as essential for risk managers navigating the field of sustainability and climate risk.
The curriculum is weighted across these topics and re-evaluated annually to ensure the SCR Exam is timely and relevant.
Learning Objectives appear as bullet points at the beginning of each chapter in this Study Guide. These Learning Objectives
are intended to help exam candidates identify major themes associated with each chapter of the 2024 SCR Certificate book.
The required online readings listed under chapter descriptions are testable for the SCR Exam. Learning Objectives for online
readings also appear on the GARP website.
This document is an important study resource and should be referred to regularly during exam preparation.
The SCR Exam is practice oriented. The questions are derived from a combination of theory, as set forth in the 2024 SCR
Certificate book, and real-world work experience. Candidates are expected to understand sustainability and climate risk
concepts and apply these approaches to risk management activities. The 2024 SCR Certificate book covers knowledge areas
necessary for individuals and organizations to succeed in today’s rapidly changing risk landscape.
The Exam is comprehensive in nature, testing candidates on a number of sought-after SCR standards and recommended
practices. The Exam consists of 80 equally weighted, multiple choice questions. The majority of Exam questions stand alone,
with the exception of one multi-part question case study accompanied by three-to-four multi-part questions.
Questions for the SCR Exam are related to and supported by the eight chapters in the 2024 SCR Certificate book. The topics
covered by these chapters were selected by the SCR Advisory Committee. It is strongly suggested candidates review the
book in depth prior to sitting for the Exam. Each chapter begins with a set of Learning Objectives to guide candidates through
their studies. Review questions conclude each chapter. An eBook copy is provided to all candidates who register for the Exam.
SCR Errata
GARP will update curriculum clarifications or printing errors in the SCR Errata 2024 document regularly. Candidates can find
the SCR Errata document in the candidate portal. If you identify a potential error or curriculum discrepancy, please submit this
through the candidate portal, but only after checking the Errata to see if it may already have been addressed.
We welcome all types of submissions including minor editorial, grammar, and typographical errors. However, only substantial
errors in content or questions will be posted to the official SCR Errata.
4 Chapter 2:
Sustainability
6 Chapter 3:
Climate Change Risk
8 Chapter 4:
Sustainability and Climate Policy,
Culture, and Governance
10 Chapter 5:
Green and Sustainable Finance:
Markets and Instruments
11 Chapter 6:
Climate Risk Measurement
and Management
13 Chapter 7:
Climate Models and
Scenario Analysis
14 Chapter 8:
Net Zero
Learning Objectives
Climate change is one of the most important issues of our generation and future generations. Choosing how to respond
requires both a knowledge of the science as well as an understanding of our policy options. This chapter gives a brief
summary of these two aspects of the climate problem.
Learning Objectives
This chapter discusses the broad topic of sustainability, particularly as it relates to public policies, corporate actions, and
financial institutions. The broad examination of sustainability in a policy, corporate, and investment context is important
background before examining climate risk analysis (Chapters 3 and 6) and policy frameworks (Chapter 4) in greater detail.
The chapter starts by defining sustainability and differentiating it from both environmental, social, and governance (ESG)
issues and climate risk. This chapter also discusses international goals on sustainability, notably UN Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs).
The chapter takes a broad approach, touching on economic development, issues of social justice and equity (e.g., human
rights), and environmental protection (e.g., biodiversity), as well as focusing primarily on concepts and general framing in
preparation for later chapters that go into greater detail.
The specific Learning Objectives for this online reading are as follows:
• Explain the requirements and suggested measures to take for each principle of responsible banking.
• Understand and describe how banks have implemented the responsible banking principles, along with the benefits of
implementing these principles.
“UNPRI Principles For Responsible Investment,” Principles for Responsible Investment, 2021.
The specific Learning Objectives for this online reading are as follows:
• Describe how responsible investment approaches consider ESG issues with investment decision-making and
ownership practices.
• Identify the six principles of responsible investment and potential ways to achieve them.
Learning Objectives
This chapter provides a comprehensive introduction to the financial risks linked to climate change that throughout this text are
referred to simply as “climate risk.” It explains the two main subtypes of climate risk — physical risk (resulting from the physical
weather impacts of climate change) and transition risk (resulting from the economic transformation to a net-zero carbon
economy) — before delving into the causes and implications of each type.
Chapters 6 and 7 return to, and expand on, the topic by explaining how financial institutions can measure and manage climate
risk (Chapter 6) and how climate modeling is carried out, including through scenario analysis (Chapter 7).
The specific Learning Objectives for this online reading are as follows:
• Identify and discuss the purpose of the four Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
disclosure parameters.
• Describe recommendations for TCFD disclosure parameters designed for all sectors.
“Risk Management Fundamentals,” Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP), December 2022.
The specific Learning Objectives for this online reading are as follows:
Learning Objectives
This chapter examines the wider policy and cultural context in which the move toward sustainability and climate risk
integration in the private sector has occurred. It starts by describing international sustainability and climate policy frameworks
to date and the challenges inherent in attempts to reduce emissions through global agreements.
It then describes how sustainability and climate change have become part of various policy frameworks and standards in
both the public and private sectors, ranging from promotion to supervision and regulation. Finally, consideration is given to
potential implications, both at the micro and macro level, of how policies and other transition drivers may impact society and
corporate culture.
“A call for action: Climate change as a source of financial risk,” Network for Greening the Financial System, April 2019.
(pages 4-9).
The specific Learning Objectives for this online reading are as follows:
• Describe the six Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) recommendations for central banks, supervisors,
policymakers, and financial institutions to manage environmental and climate-related risks.
• Explain how the NGFS recommendations can guide the financial sector in achieving the objectives of the
Paris Agreement.
“The GHG Protocol: A corporate reporting and accounting standard (revised edition),” The Greenhouse Gas Protocol
and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), March 2004. (Chapters 1, 3, 4).
The specific Learning Objectives for this online reading are as follows:
Learning Objectives
This chapter focuses on financial-market developments relating to sustainability issues and climate-related risks and
opportunities. The chapter begins by explaining what constitutes “green” and “sustainable” finance and covers trends and
investment flows. It then includes a detailed examination of specific sustainable and green finance instruments and products,
such as green bonds, green loans, and sustainability-linked bonds and loans.
The chapter considers the integration of ESG issues into investing, both through analysis and through investor engagement.
It finishes with existing and emerging taxonomies and regulatory definitions, building on the policy material covered in
Chapter 4.
Learning Objectives
This chapter describes how climate risk is measured and managed, covering both types of climate risk: physical and transition
(as described in Chapter 3). After an introduction, this chapter covers in detail how climate risk relates to more traditional risk
categories at the company level, including operational risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, and underwriting risk. It then covers how
climate risk can be a systemic risk with potential threat to financial stability, transmitting either through one of the previously
mentioned channels, or through market dislocations (market risk) or effects on countries (sovereign risk).
The chapter goes on to describe available data and analytical tools for measuring both physical and transition risks, building
on material from Chapter 3. Finally, this chapter examines how climate risk can be, and is being, integrated into existing
enterprise risk management (ERM) processes, ranging from governance structures and strategy setting to risk evaluation and
disclosure. The material in this chapter sets the stage for Chapter 7, which builds on these topics by looking specifically at the
application of scenario analysis to climate risk management.
• Explain how climate risk manifests as financial risk through micro and macroeconomic transmission channels.
• Describe how climate risk affects company-level risks including operational, credit, liquidity, and underwriting risks, and
whether these risk types pose macro-level risks.
• Understand the associated risk metrics for and components of each risk type.
• Examine the effects of climate risk on micro (company level) risks such as operational, credit, liquidity, and insurance.
• Understand transmission channels of climate risk, and how related systemic risks potentially threaten financial stability.
• Describe CVaR and its uses.
• Describe the data types, analytical tools, and their sources to measure transition and physical risks at the company level.
• Understand how to measure transition and physical risks at the portfolio level.
• Examine how climate risk drivers can be incorporated into existing ERM frameworks.
• Discuss how ERM frameworks are used in practice using case studies and examples.
The specific Learning Objectives for this online reading are as follows:
• Understand the key advantages and disadvantages of common carbon footprinting and exposure metrics.
• Know the components of carbon metrics (e.g., revenue, current portfolio value, scopes).
• Calculate the weighted average carbon intensity of investments, total carbon emissions, and carbon footprint, given a set
of inputs.
Learning Objectives
This chapter describes how climate change risk can be modeled and analyzed through scenarios, which can help companies
and financial institutions prepare for various possible physical and transition climate-related outcomes. The chapter begins
with an introduction to scenario analysis as a general planning tool for companies before reviewing reference scenarios
commonly used by climate scientists, policymakers, and corporations.
Then, the chapter examines climate scenario analysis as applied to physical and transition risk, building on the material
in Chapter 3. The chapter ends with a detailed look at use cases of scenario analysis both in corporations and in a
financial context.
• Define climate scenario analysis and explain how organizations use scenario analysis.
• Explain the definition and purpose of global net-zero scenarios including carbon removal processes.
• Understand IPCC scenarios and associated representative concentration pathways (RCPs) and shared socioeconomic
pathways (SSPs).
• Describe IEA scenarios and other key global reference scenarios.
• Understand the key choices that organizations need to consider for scenario development and analysis.
• Describe how scenarios and models are used in scenario analysis to assess transition risk.
• Explain how scenario analysis is used for assessing physical risk.
• Examine how all types of corporations (financial and non-financial) use climate scenario analysis.
• Describe how financial firms use climate scenario analysis for the investment processes and climate risk
exposure management.
• Explain different aspects of climate scenario analysis using case studies.
Learning Objectives
This chapter provides an overview of the concept of net zero and its implications for different players in the economy. It begins
with an introduction to the scientific background behind net zero and its link to global climate ambitions enshrined in the Paris
Agreement. It further provides an overview of the key global initiatives that are mobilizing entities across the world to make
bottom-up commitments and pushing them to begin the journey of reducing the climate impact of their own organization.
The chapter then outlines the various elements required to ensure the credibility of these targets. It explains the crucial role
that transition plans can play in demonstrating that an organization is integrating decarbonization ambitions into its core
strategy, emphasizing the importance of interim targets and pathways and the transparent use of metrics to measure progress.
It ends with a discussion of the emerging landscape of net-zero disclosure standards.
• Explain the concept of net zero and how it relates to global climate goals.
• Discuss the types of key alliances in the UN Race to Zero.
• Describe the attributes of net-zero targets, and the challenges of navigating the net-zero transition.
• Explain the key attributes of national and subnational net-zero target strategies and emissions reduction approaches.
• Describe the factors that affect different sectors’ abilities to achieve net zero.
• Describe how organizations use transition plans to pursue net-zero carbon emissions and the tools private-sector actors
can use to verify the credibility of net-zero commitments.
• Describe how net-zero pathways and interim targets are key to achieving credible and attainable net-zero targets
across sectors.
• Identify cross-industry principles and metrics and discuss how climate-related metrics are used in reporting and
project selection.
• Understand metrics used for net-zero portfolio alignment, considering strengths and weaknesses.
• Describe the net-zero disclosure landscape and key stakeholders.
garp.org
Jersey City, New Jersey
07310 USA
+1 (201) 719.7210
ABOUT GARP | The Global Association of Risk Professionals is a non-
partisan, not-for-profit membership organization focused on elevating the
practice of risk management. GARP offers the leading global certification LONDON
for risk managers in the Financial Risk Manager (FRM ), as well as the
®
17 Devonshire Square
Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR®) Certificate and ongoing educational 4th Floor
opportunities through Continuing Professional Development. Through the London, EC2M 4SQ UK
GARP Benchmarking Initiative (GBI)® and GARP Risk Institute (GRI), GARP +44 (0) 20 7397.9630
sponsors research in risk management and promotes collaboration among
practitioners, academics, and regulators.
HONG KONG
Founded in 1996 and governed by a Board of Trustees, GARP is The Center
headquartered in Jersey City, N.J., with offices in London and Hong Kong. 99 Queen’s Road Central
Office No. 5510
For more information, visit garp.org or follow GARP on LinkedIn, Facebook, 55th Floor
and X (formerly Twitter). Central, Hong Kong SAR,
China
© 2023 Global Association of Risk Professionals. All rights reserved. (10.23) +852 3168.1532