Finance in the face of global challenges:essays on the financial economics of climate change & the agency cost of debt

This dissertation investigates the firm‐level cost of extreme temperatures as one of the most pervasive projected trends due to climate change, the awareness of investors of the financial repercussions of climate change, the adaptation of supply‐chains to climate shocks, as well as the implications of insider ownership and governance mechanisms for the pricing of corporate debt. The three studies employ financial data and research methods to better understand the interrelation between finance, firm behaviour, and socio‐economic issues.