A different way to tackle Scope 3 emissions

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🗞️ Driving the news: The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) suggests a new approach to addressing Scope 3 emissions, which encompass the carbon footprint of a company’s supply chain and customers
• This shift aims to help companies better assess and communicate their climate impact beyond the traditional metric of total emissions

🔭 The context: Scope 3 emissions, often over 70% of a company’s total emissions, have been challenging to manage due to data complexity and limited influence over value chains
• SBTi proposes new metrics that align procurement and revenue with global climate goals, emphasizing the performance of suppliers and the nature of procured goods

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: By refining how companies measure and manage their indirect emissions, this approach can enhance the effectiveness of corporate climate strategies and support broader decarbonization efforts
• It moves beyond relying solely on carbon credits, which have been criticized for not delivering real emission reductions

⏭️ What's next: SBTi will integrate these new metrics into their Corporate Net Zero Standard, encouraging companies to adopt sector-specific targets that address the unique challenges of their value chains
• This strategy aims to promote more precise and impactful climate action

💬 One quote: “The answer to Scope 3 emissions is not ‘it’s so difficult, so let’s just use carbon credits.’ It’s actually ‘let’s get much more clarity on the problems with decarbonization in different value chains and choose approaches that address them specifically.’” — Doreen Stabinsky, College of the Atlantic

📈 One stat: Scope 3 emissions typically account for more than 70% of a company’s total carbon footprint

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