Concept Note — TransitionRisk.org
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TransitionRisk.org

This Concept Note provides a descriptive framing for the domain name TransitionRisk.org. It sketches how the expression “transition risk” can be used to structure debates on climate-related financial risk arising from the transition to a low-greenhouse-gas economy — including policy, technology, market, legal and reputational dimensions.

Important: this page does not provide legal, regulatory, financial, accounting, tax or investment advice. It is not a position paper on any specific law, standard or jurisdiction. No affiliation is claimed with public authorities, regulators, international organisations, standard-setting bodies, companies or industry alliances. Any future use of the domain and any claims or views expressed under it remain solely under the responsibility of the acquirer.

TransitionRisk.org itself does not operate models, tools, datasets, indices or software. It does not collect, store or process any personal, sensitive or transactional data. Its sole purpose is to describe a possible role for this domain name as a neutral semantic asset in the emerging discipline of transition risk.

From climate-related financial risk to transition risk

Over the 2025–2035 horizon, climate-related financial risk is expected to remain a core prudential theme. Within that broader field, transition risk has emerged as a distinct category in supervisory and disclosure frameworks. It captures the financial impacts of policy, technology, market and behavioural changes associated with the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Disclosure and risk frameworks such as TCFD, the work of the NGFS, new sustainability reporting standards such as IFRS S2, and climate stress-testing exercises conducted by central banks and supervisors all use transition risk as a structural concept. For many institutions, it now shapes:

capital planning and ICAAP/ORSA,
portfolio steering and risk appetite,
engagement with clients, sectors and jurisdictions,
dialogue with supervisors, investors and civil society.

In this landscape, a neutral, descriptive label such as TransitionRisk.org can serve as a focal point for public-facing materials on transition risk — without endorsing any particular methodology or institution.

What “transition risk” covers — without prescribing answers

Without taking a stand on any specific framework, this Concept Note uses “transition risk” in a descriptive way that is broadly aligned with prudential and disclosure practice. It generally includes:

Policy and regulatory risk: carbon pricing, new standards, bans and prudential expectations that affect business models and asset values.
Technology risk: emergence of low-carbon technologies and infrastructure, and the potential obsolescence of high-emission assets.
Market and business model risk: shifts in demand, cost competitiveness and the risk of “stranded assets”.
Legal and liability risk: litigation, claims and enforcement actions related to climate policies, disclosure and greenwashing.
Reputation risk: changing expectations from investors, clients and society regarding transition pathways and climate performance.

A banner such as TransitionRisk.org does not define these sub-categories in a binding way. It simply offers a clear, shared label under which public authorities, supervisors, financial institutions and researchers may develop and host their own approaches.

Multiple tools, portals and narratives

The transition risk ecosystem is already rich and diverse. Central banks and supervisors publish stress-testing methodologies and scenario libraries. Vendors, consultancies and in-house teams develop models and tools. Industry alliances and academic groups release reports and working papers. Yet from the perspective of boards and non-specialists, the landscape can appear fragmented.

No single, neutral entry point for transition risk materials.
Overlapping portals, acronyms and initiatives.
Potential confusion between official documents and vendor content.

A neutral, non-vendor domain dedicated to transition risk could help structure this space, provided it is operated by credible institutions with clear governance and transparency about what is and is not official.

How TransitionRisk.org could be used by legitimate stewards

The scenarios below are illustrative only. They do not describe existing projects and do not create any obligation for the current owner. They illustrate how a legitimate steward — such as a public body, international organisation, academic foundation or multi-stakeholder coalition — might deploy TransitionRisk.org:

4.1. Public-facing Transition Risk Observatory

Aggregating transition risk guidance, reports and indicators from central banks, supervisors and international bodies.
Providing a curated view of key documents, with clear labelling of official versus independent materials.

4.2. Entry point for stress-testing frameworks

Hosting documentation on scenario libraries, modelling approaches and implementation practices used by financial institutions.
Supporting board-level understanding and internal model validation processes.

4.3. Hub for disclosures and case studies

Collecting public transition risk disclosures, examples of sectoral analyses and case studies.
Offering educational materials for regulated firms and stakeholders.

4.4. Banner for a group-wide framework

Serving as the public label for a bank, insurer or asset owner’s internal “Transition Risk Framework”.
Providing a non-proprietary narrative towards investors and supervisors, anchored in shared language rather than brand names.

Whether any of these roles is pursued in practice would depend entirely on the decisions of future legitimate stewards and on their interaction with existing official frameworks and initiatives.

Who could legitimately operate TransitionRisk.org?

Because transition risk is closely linked to prudential frameworks and financial stability, any public-facing use of TransitionRisk.org should be anchored in governance models that avoid conflicts of interest and confusion with official mandates. Potential options include, for example:

International organisation or network of supervisors: hosting non-binding materials under a mandate focused on climate-related financial risk.
Academic or non-profit foundation: acting as independent steward, with a multi-stakeholder advisory board representing public authorities, industry and civil society.
Public–private coalition: combining financial institutions, public bodies and research organisations, with explicit governance rules and transparency.

In all cases, the legitimacy of any initiative depends not on the domain name itself, but on the institutions, processes and safeguards that choose to operate under this banner.

Clarity, non-affiliation and limits

A domain like TransitionRisk.org can be useful only if users clearly understand what it is — and what it is not. Any future acquirer would need to ensure that:

the site does not present itself as an official authority, standard-setter or supervisory portal unless this is formally the case;
references to central banks, supervisors, frameworks or standards are accurate, sourced and respectful of their mandates;
no promise of regulatory approval, capital relief or compliance is made;
users are encouraged to seek independent professional advice for regulatory, accounting or investment decisions.

The current owner makes no representation about future regulatory developments, market demand or any designation of TransitionRisk.org as an “official” initiative. Those decisions, if they ever occur, would rest entirely with legitimate public authorities and institutions.

Human-centred drafting and limitations

The explanatory texts associated with TransitionRisk.org — including this Concept Note and the Acquisition Brief — are drafted and reviewed by human authors using public, verifiable sources. Tools based on artificial intelligence may be used as assistants for drafting and editing, but they do not carry responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or interpretation of the content.

The sole purpose of these materials is to describe the potential role of TransitionRisk.org as a neutral digital asset. They are not binding on any institution and do not create any rights, obligations or expectations regarding future initiatives.

Nothing in this page or on the main site constitutes legal, regulatory, accounting, tax, financial, investment or other professional advice. It is not a solicitation, prospectus or marketing communication. Organisations considering the acquisition or use of this domain should rely on their own qualified advisers.

Contact for potential acquisition

© TransitionRisk.org — descriptive digital asset for the emerging field of “transition risk” in climate-related financial risk. No affiliation with public authorities, regulators, supervisors, international organisations, companies or civil-society groups. Descriptive use only. No legal, regulatory, financial, accounting, tax, investment or other professional advice is provided via this site or this page. — Contact: contact@transitionrisk.org