How to Approach Case Studies on the GARP SCR Exam: Practical Advice for 2025 Candidates

Kateryna Myrko
5 days ago
4 min read

In the 2025 GARP Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR) exam, case studies have become a critical component, designed not only to assess your theoretical understanding but your ability to think through practical, real-world sustainability and climate risk challenges. This comprehensive guide—rooted in the latest updates and lived experiences from recent exams—will show you how to master the SCR’s case study section and maximize your score.

1. Understanding the SCR Case Study Format

Exam Structure Update (2025) Case Studies on the GARP SCR Exam

As of 2025, the SCR exam features 90 multiple-choice questions, including two detailed case studies, all to be completed within a four-hour window. These case studies are structured to reflect realistic scenarios—such as regulatory responses to climate change, risk assessment for new investment projects, or transition planning for achieving net zero emissions—that professionals in sustainability and risk management roles face daily. Case Studies on the GARP SCR Exam

Each case study typically includes:

A business or institutional scenario
Background context (e.g., regulatory environment, climate objectives, portfolio risk)
Data and exhibits (tables, reports, financials, emissions targets, etc.)
A set of analytical, multiple-choice questions requiring both application and evaluation

2. The Case Study Mindset: Think Like a Practitioner

In the SCR exam, the case study section is less about rote memorization and more about demonstrating a problem-solving mindset:

Emphasize Application: Translate your understanding of sustainability concepts, risks (physical and transition), and relevant frameworks into concrete analysis.
Connect Dots: Link regulations, metrics, and climate data to decision-making—not just cite them.
Context Matters: Each scenario will contain unique challenges and data. Generic answers—without consideration of specific context—will not suffice.

3. Essential Preparation Steps

a. Master the Curriculum and Official Case Studies

Recent GARP SCR resources (including the official SCR Exam Book and digital learning platform) present case studies covering:

Climate scenario analysis
Risk assessment frameworks (TCFD, NGFS, IFRS S2)
Portfolio decarbonization
ESG integration in investment or lending

Study Tip: Repeatedly review all official case studies and linked learning objectives. Don’t stop at reading the answer explanations—ask yourself, why each step is taken, what alternative conclusions could be drawn, and how small data changes might drive new outcomes.

b. Practice Decision-Making Under Time Pressure

Spend weeks 7–8 of your study plan exclusively on simulating case studies under exam conditions:

Set a time limit (approx. 30–40min per case).
Practice reading through long-form scenarios, picking out key facts, filtering relevant from irrelevant data, and prioritizing answers.
After each attempt, review both correct and incorrect answers to build insight into common traps.

c. Focus on Analytical Skills

Quantitative analysis: Be ready to calculate exposures, carbon footprints, scenario impacts, or cost/risk tradeoffs using provided data or easy math.
Qualitative assessment: Evaluate ESG disclosures, recognize alignment (or lack thereof) with frameworks (e.g., TCFD, SBTi), describe governance or transition planning flaws.

d. Use the Process of Elimination

Often, answers will contain distractors—choices that seem plausible, but miss a subtle aspect of climate risk or lack full regulatory alignment. Train yourself to methodically eliminate clearly wrong or incomplete statements.

4. Case Study Answering Strategies

Step-By-Step Approach

Skim the Scenario: Don’t dive into questions yet. First, get a sense of the organization, objectives, risks, and environment.
Read the Questions Carefully: Before returning to the details, look at each question to understand what is being asked—risk quantification, scenario critique, regulatory compliance?
Extract Key Data: Identify and annotate numbers, priorities, or risk factors called out in the scenario. Don’t waste time on peripheral info.
Map to Relevant Frameworks:
- TCFD: Governance, Strategy, Risk Management, Metrics & Targets
- IFRS S2: Climate-related disclosures
- NGFS Scenarios: Physical, transition, liability risks
Work Methodically: For each question,
- Restate in your own words
- Shortlist the best answer options, then justify (briefly) why alternatives fall short
Manage Your Time: Allocate no more than 15–20% of your total exam time per case study. If stuck, flag for review and move on.

5. Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Ignoring Scenario Nuance: Don’t default to textbook answers without considering unique scenario specifics.
Overlooking Data: All provided exhibits are fair game; missing a single table or chart can lead to wrong conclusions.
Misinterpreting Frameworks: Clearly differentiate between ESG, climate risk, and compliance requirements—many questions test for confusion here.
Time Mismanagement: Getting “stuck” on an early case question easily eats away at your time budget.

6. Realistic Example: Breakdown

Scenario: A global bank is considering investments in new wind and solar projects in the EU and Southeast Asia. The case study provides: regulatory background (EU Green Deal, ASEAN frameworks), sample CO₂ reduction metrics, and financial analysis tables.

Question Types:

Compute the Investment’s Net Zero Alignment Score
Identify disclosure gaps relative to IFRS S2
Evaluate reputational and operational climate risks given scenario data

Analysis Steps:

Cross-reference scenario data with regional frameworks
Quantify risks using provided tables
Critique the company’s public ESG statements for completeness

7. Exam Day Execution

Arrive Early, Calibrate Mindset: Arriving early helps settle nerves and gives time for last-minute review of processes—not facts.
Start Strong: Tackle easier multiple-choice first (if allowed), leaving you freshest for the more complex case study reasoning.
Stay Calm: If you have a mental block on a case question, jot down your thoughts, move to the next, then circle back.
Final Review: If time permits, double-check for computational errors or misreads of scenario data.

8. Final Thoughts

Case studies are where theory meets the real world. By blending deep curriculum knowledge, data-driven analysis, and systematic answering strategies, you’ll be ready not just for the exam—but for tackling real sustainability and climate risk challenges that professionals face in today’s global environment.

Boost your chances of success in the GARP SCR Certificate with the right preparation—explore our exclusive study materials and resources to excel in your certification journey!