SBTi to Fill 22% Global Emissions Gap Not Addressed Before, Launches New Guidance to Cover Land-Related Emissions and Removals

The Forest, Land and Agriculture (FLAG) Science Based Target Setting Guidance from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) provides businesses in land-intensive sectors such as food, agriculture and forestry with the tools to play their part in preventing the catastrophic impacts of climate change.

Long Story, Cut Short
  • The new Guidance fills a 22% gap of global emissions that have not been addressed before.
  • The framework has a whole sector approach covering everything from deforestation to diet shift and 11 mitigation pathways for major commodities with high carbon footprints including beef, palm oil, dairy, poultry, timber and wood fibre.
  • 80% of the mitigation potential from land use change is from stopping deforestation. Companies setting FLAG targets are required to publicly commit to zero deforestation no later than 2025
Till now, few companies accounted for land-based emissions in their targets or disclosures due to the lack of available guidance and methods.
Land Target Till now, few companies accounted for land-based emissions in their targets or disclosures due to the lack of available guidance and methods. Flickr 2.0 / Formulanone

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has launched the world’s first standard method for companies to set science-based targets that include land-based emission reductions and removals.

  • The Forest, Land and Agriculture (FLAG) Science-Based Target Setting Guidance provides businesses in land-intensive sectors with the tools to play their part in preventing the impacts of climate change.
  • This sector represents nearly a quarter (22%) of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the largest emitter after energy.
  • However, till now, few companies accounted for land-based emissions in their targets or disclosures due to the lack of available guidance and methods.
  • The SBTi FLAG Guidance gives businesses the understanding of how to accelerate decarbonisation of land emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
  • The Guidance was developed in consultation with business, academics and civil society, including a public consultation that received over 1,600 comments from more than 165 organisations.

What needs to happen and by when:

  • Set near-term FLAG science-based targets: 5–10 year emission reduction targets in line with limiting warming to 1.5°C.
  • Account for removals in near-term FLAG science-based targets: GHG removals include things like improving forest management practices, and enhancing soil carbon sequestration on working lands. Read more on how the FLAG pathways address carbon removals here.
  • Set long-term FLAG science-based targets: Companies in the forest, land and agriculture sectors will reduce at least 74% of emissions by no later than 2050. They should use the SBTi Net-Zero Standard to set long-term FLAG science-based targets.
  • Zero deforestation targets must be set for no later than 2025: In line with the Accountability Framework initiative (AFi). Read more on how this guidance accounts for land-use change emissions here.
  • Set science-based targets for fossil emissions: Businesses with land-based emissions are required to set both FLAG science-based targets and  science-based targets, since all companies produce fossil emissions.
 
 
  • Dated posted: 30 September 2022
  • Last modified: 30 September 2022