Sea Level Rise Exposure and Municipal Bond Yields
Municipal bond markets begin pricing sea level rise (SLR) exposure risk in 2013, coinciding with upward revisions to worst-case SLR projections and accompanying uncertainty around these projections. The effect is larger for long-maturity bonds and is not solely driven by near-term flood risk. We use a structural model of credit risk to quantify the implied economic impact and distinguish the effects of underlying asset values and uncertainty. The SLR exposure premium exhibits a different trend from house prices and is unaffected by house price controls. Taken together, our results highlight the importance of climate uncertainty in driving municipal bond prices.
Published Versions
Paul Goldsmith-Pinkham & Matthew T Gustafson & Ryan C Lewis & Michael Schwert & Gregor Matvos, 2023. "Sea-Level Rise Exposure and Municipal Bond Yields," The Review of Financial Studies, vol 36(11), pages 4588-4635.
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