Investors could lose $4.2tn because of climate change, report warns

Investments in fossil fuel companies face serious risk from global warming, research by the Economist Intelligence Unit shows

Private investors stand to lose $4.2tn (2.7tn) on the value of their holdings from the impact of climate change by 2100 even if global warming is held at plus 2C, a report from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has warned.

If firm action is not taken at the forthcoming climate change talks in Paris and the Earth's temperature warms by a further 5C then investors are facing losses of almost $7tn at today's prices, new research shows.