“Climate risk” hype overstates threats: Real culprits are real estate growth and density

 In an era of escalating insurance premiums and mortgage costs, a controversial new report claims climate change is driving financial risks from extreme weather—a narrative criticized as alarmist and misleading by scientists and economists who say the real culprit is unchecked coastal development. 

CNN’s recent coverage of FirstStreet’s “Climate, the Sixth ‘C’ of Credit” report purports that “climate risk” threatens lending practices and credit scores. But experts argue this framing misrepresents climate science, blends short-term weather events with long-term climate trends, and obscures the economic realities of population growth and inflated property values...<<<Read More>>>...