Young leaders in finance and business have a pivotal role to play in helping organisations understand and tackle the climate-related risks and challenges they face, the Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth, Anne-Marie Trevelyan has said. Speaking at an event hosted by FinBiz2030, a joint initiative between One Young World and Chartered Accountants Worldwide dedicated to achieving the UN Sustainability Development Goals by 2030, Trevelyan – herself an ICAEW-qualified Chartered Accountant – called on members of the profession to be the “difference makers” to galvanise action among the business community. “Climate change poses risks to companies, financial institutions and individuals alike. The physical and transition risks can have a material impact on the value of companies and their assets,” Trevelyan warned. And as trusted business advisers, it was the role of accountants to help companies understand and communicate the risks and opportunities they face, she added.