The Governor of the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT), Fethi Zouhaier Nouri, stressed that climate change constitutes a major challenge to financial stability, during the closing ceremony of a technical assistance project dedicated to governance and management of climate financial risks, held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Implemented with the financial support of the German Development Bank (KfW), this project aims to strengthen the integration of climate risks into the regulation and supervision of the Tunisian financial system.
drought, floods and carbon requirements: risks for banks
In his remarks, Fethi Zouhaier Nouri warned about the financial consequences of climatic phenomena, notably drought, heat waves, floods, and coastal erosion. These risks are likely to affect borrowers’ repayment capacity, asset values, and bank guarantees.
The governor also drew attention to risks associated with the ecological transition, particularly the tightening of commercial requirements and the conditions for access to international financing. He notably cited the European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
He stressed the need to improve the identification, measurement, and prevention of climate risks in order to strengthen the resilience of the Tunisian financial system.
A roadmap for the 2026-2030 period
Fethi Zouhaier Nouri reaffirmed the BCT’s commitment to further integrate climate risks into banking supervision, while promoting the development of green finance.
In this perspective, the central bank has developed a 2026-2030 roadmap, structured around four axes: the management and supervision of climate risks, transparency and reporting, the development of green finance, as well as governance and monitoring of the actions undertaken.
The technical assistance project notably enabled the creation of a national map of climate risks, the first assessment of portfolio exposure for a sample of financial institutions, and the development of a methodological guide intended for their supervision.
This approach should enable the BCT to better protect the financial system against the effects of climate change, while facilitating financing for the transition toward a more sustainable economy.
