TCFD Framework: 4 Pillars & Climate Risk Disclosure Explained

What is the TCFD?

The Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) is a framework created in 2015 by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) to help companies disclose climate-related risks and opportunities in a consistent, comparable, and decision-useful way for investors and lenders.

The TCFD published its final recommendations in 2017. Since then, over 4,000 organizations across 101 countries have declared support for TCFD — including major banks, insurers, asset managers, and corporations. Several jurisdictions (UK, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan) have made TCFD-aligned disclosure mandatory.

The 4 Pillars of TCFD

TCFD organizes climate disclosure around four interconnected themes:

1. Governance

How does the board and management oversee climate-related risks and opportunities?

Board-level oversight of climate risks
Management's role in assessing and managing climate risks
Integration of climate into executive compensation

2. Strategy

What are the actual and potential impacts of climate risks on the business model?

Short, medium, and long-term climate risks and opportunities
Impact on strategy, financial planning, and business model
Scenario analysis — how the company performs under 1.5°C, 2°C, and 3°C+ warming scenarios

3. Risk Management

How does the company identify, assess, and manage climate risks?

Processes for identifying physical and transition risks
Integration of climate risk into enterprise risk management (ERM)
Prioritization criteria for climate risks

4. Metrics & Targets

What metrics and targets does the company use to assess climate risks?

Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions (aligned with GHG Protocol)
Climate-related targets (aligned with SBTi)
Progress tracking and reporting cadence

Physical vs Transition Risk

TCFD distinguishes two types of climate risk:

Physical risks — Direct impacts of climate change:

Acute: Extreme weather events, flooding, wildfires
Chronic: Sea level rise, shifting precipitation patterns, heat stress

Transition risks — Risks from the shift to a low-carbon economy:

Policy & legal: Carbon taxes, emissions regulations, litigation
Technology: Disruption from clean energy, stranded assets
Market: Changing customer preferences, commodity prices
Reputational: Stakeholder perception of climate performance

Why It Matters for Startups

Fintech and insurtech — TCFD data feeds directly into climate risk underwriting models and ESG investment screens. If you're building in these spaces, TCFD literacy is table stakes.
Enterprise vendor qualification — Large financial institutions require TCFD-aligned disclosures from material suppliers.
Regulatory tailwind — ISSB's IFRS S2 standard (the successor framework) is built on TCFD and is being adopted globally. Getting TCFD-ready now positions you for IFRS S2 compliance.
Product opportunity — Scenario analysis tools, physical risk mapping platforms, and transition risk dashboards are in high demand.

How 100x Helps

100x Engineering builds TCFD-aligned reporting tools and climate risk platforms in 3 weeks:

Scenario analysis engines modeling 1.5°C/2°C/3°C pathways
Physical risk geospatial tools overlaying asset locations with climate hazard data
TCFD report generators producing board-ready disclosure documents
Integration with GHG Protocol data for Metrics & Targets pillar reporting

See also: GHG Protocol | SBTi Targets | GRI Standards