PARIS — As the head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde frequently warned of being “roasted, toasted, fried and grilled” if the world failed to act on climate change.

Now, she is pledging to make the European Central Bank more conscious of the environment if she is confirmed as its new president.

“Climate change is one of the most pressing global challenges facing society today,” she told the European Parliament on Wednesday. “My personal view is that any institution has to actually have climate change risk and protection of the environment at the core of their understanding of their mission,” Ms. Lagarde said.

Her remarks came during a confirmation hearing in which lawmakers questioned whether she would follow her predecessor, Mario Draghi, and do “whatever it takes” to protect the euro at a time when the European economy is cooling.