What is the Science Based Targets initiative?

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a joint initiative of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Its aim is to promote science-based climate protection targets in companies. Both the sector and the size of a company are taken into account in order to calculate an individual contribution required to achieve the Paris climate target. The SBTi is funded by various funding organizations.

Requirements for companies

Since its establishment in 2015, more than 1,000 companies have joined the initiative and set science-based climate protection targets. As a central measure, the SBTi recommends developing so-called Climate Transition Plans, which include short- and long-term emissions reduction targets for Scope 1, 2 and 3. While short-term, or near-term, targets provide for emissions reductions within the next few years, the long-term net-zero target must be achieved by 2050 at the latest.

SBTi requires “real” emissions reductions

The SBTi focuses on the real reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Companies must reduce their greenhouse gas emissions within their operations and across the entire value chain by at least 90 percent compared with a base year. Compensation through certificates, or offsetting, is not permitted for achieving the target. For the remaining up to ten percent of emissions after reaching the net-zero target, these can be neutralized through CO₂e removal technologies such as Direct Air Capture or afforestation.

Sector-specific guidelines

To make climate protection targets comparable and implementable, the SBTi has developed sector-specific methods and requirements. These include guidelines for the textile industry, the cement industry and the energy sector, among others. They are intended to support companies in reducing emissions in a targeted way without relying on blanket and therefore unrealistic solutions.

There are also dedicated guidelines for land transport, which take various modes of transport into account, including rail transport. In addition, the SBTi is working on further developing specific decarbonization strategies for aviation, road and rail.