International bodies

    Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

    The UN body that assesses climate science and produces the reports governments use to set climate goals.

    Official site

    Background

    The IPCC was set up in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the UN Environment Programme.

    Scope and powers

    The IPCC does not do its own research. It assesses published science in major assessment reports, the sixth of which was completed in 2023, and in special reports such as the one on 1.5°C of warming. Its carbon budgets and pathways underpin science-based targets.

    Investor relevance

    IPCC pathways sit behind net zero targets, NGFS scenarios and implied temperature rise metrics used in portfolio analysis.

    Related guides

    Key glossary terms

    Last reviewed: October 2026