UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has launched the Climate Pathways Navigator, a new tool designed to help financial institutions access the climate scenario data they need to make informed, science-based decisions on decarbonization. Announced on 1 April 2026 in Geneva, the tool is intended to support banks, investors, insurers, and other financial actors in strengthening their climate strategies and transition planning.
The Climate Pathways Navigator is designed to help financial institutions integrate sustainability into their core business operations. It supports them in setting science-based targets, developing transition plans, guiding clients on their own climate pathways, and improving engagement with investees and clients by making relevant climate data easier to access and apply.
Developed by UNEP FI in partnership with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), the tool was refined through more than a year of testing with financial institutions, including banks, investors, insurers, and export credit agencies. It is built to simplify access to complex climate scenario data by filtering hundreds of scenarios into a user-friendly platform that provides the sectoral and regional data points financial institutions need.
One of the tool’s distinguishing features is that it combines emission scenarios assessed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) with industry-designed scenarios. This allows financial institutions to quickly identify relevant pathways across different sectors and regions, helping them move from data complexity to practical decision-making in a much shorter time.
UNEP FI said that a strong scientific understanding of climate scenarios is essential for effective climate action in the financial sector. Without reliable and detailed data, institutions risk making incomplete decisions that could weaken their climate responses. The organisation described the new tool as an important step forward in turning complex climate science into accessible and actionable information for the finance industry.
The Climate Pathways Navigator also complements UNEP FI’s broader set of resources that support members working under the Principles for Responsible Banking and the Principles for Sustainable Insurance. It is being made freely available not only to UNEP FI members but also to the wider finance sector, as well as governments and policymakers, reflecting UNEP FI’s broader commitment to expanding access to high-quality climate scenario analysis and accelerating climate action.
