Powell Vows to Limit Fed’s Climate Role to Protect Independence
- Says Fed has narrow duty on climate-linked financial risk
- Chair doesn’t directly comment on outlook for economy, rates
This article is for subscribers only.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell sought to draw a line around how far the central bank will use its powers to promote a greener economy, vowing it will not be a climate regulator.
“The Fed does have narrow, but important, responsibilities regarding climate-related financial risks,” Powell said Tuesday in brief prepared remarks on central bank independence at a forum in Stockholm. “But without explicit congressional legislation, it would be inappropriate for us to use our monetary policy or supervisory tools to promote a greener economy or to achieve other climate-based goals.”