Exclusive: Big four auditors face investor calls for tougher climate scrutiny

Natasha Landell-Mills, head of stewardship at Sarasin & Partners, poses for a photograph at their office in London, Britain November 28, 2019. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

LONDON (Reuters) - European investors managing assets worth more than 1 trillion pounds ($1.28 trillion) are pressing top auditors to take urgent action on climate-related risks, warning that failure to do so could do more damage than the financial crisis.

The case for tighter auditing has been bolstered by public statements from regulators and accounting watchdogs highlighting the potentially systemic risks that climate change could pose.