SCR study guide
SCR · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR®) Certificate is a professional credential awarded by the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) to candidates who pass a single exam. GARP describes the program as developed by senior risk practitioners, climate experts, and sustainability professionals, and positions it for people who need working command of sustainability, climate risk, nature risk, and transition planning - from those new to the field to executives shaping boardroom strategy. The SCR study guide has 8 sections and about 2,364 words.
01Foundations of Climate Change: What Is Climate Change?
Weather is the state of the atmosphere over hours to days; climate is the distribution of weather statistics over decades. Climate change means a persistent shift in that distribution - most importantly the mean, but also variance and extremes.
295 words, about 1 min02Sustainability
Sustainability means meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs (Brundtland definition). It rests on three pillars - environmental, social, and economic - and is often framed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) .
265 words, about 1 min03Climate Change Risk, Sustainability and Climate Policy, and Governance
Physical risks are acute (floods, storms, wildfires) or chronic (sea-level rise, heat stress, drought). Transition risks arise from the shift to a low-carbon economy: policy and legal, technology, market, and reputational.
281 words, about 1 min04Green and Sustainable Finance: Markets and Instruments
Green and sustainable finance channels capital to environmental and social objectives. Core instruments include green bonds (proceeds earmarked for eligible projects, e.g.
266 words, about 1 min05Climate Risk Measurement and Management
Climate risk measurement combines scenario analysis , stress testing , and exposure mapping . Key metrics include carbon footprint (Scope 1, 2, 3), financed emissions, physical asset exposure (location-based hazard mapping), and portfolio alignment.
244 words, about 1 min06Climate Models and Scenario Analysis
Climate models (general circulation models, Earth-system models) simulate physical climate; integrated assessment models (IAMs) link emissions, economics, and climate to produce socioeconomic pathways . The Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) describe narratives (SSP1 sustainability to SSP5 fossil-fuelled) and pair with Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) for radiative forcing.
244 words, about 1 min07Net Zero
Net zero means anthropogenic emissions are balanced by anthropogenic removals over a specified period; carbon neutrality is often used more loosely. Net zero requires deep decarbonisation first , with removals (nature-based and engineered) reserved for residual, hard-to-abate emissions.
259 words, about 1 min08Climate and Nature Risk Assessment
Nature risk extends beyond climate to biodiversity loss, water stress, land degradation, and ecosystem services. The TNFD framework (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures) mirrors TCFD's four pillars (Governance, Strategy, Risk Management, Metrics and Targets) and adds the LEAP approach: Locate your interface with nature, Evaluate dependencies and impacts, Assess risks and opportunities, Prepare to respond and report.
510 words, about 3 min