Science Based Targets initiative
An organisation that sets criteria for corporate emission targets and assesses whether submitted targets align with climate science.
Example
A manufacturer may submit a near-term target covering its own operations and purchased energy for validation.
The catch
Validation checks a target against criteria and says nothing about whether the company will meet it.
In more depth
Science Based Targets initiative, explained.
The Science Based Targets initiative separates companies that have committed to set targets from those whose targets have been validated, and only the second group has been through its review. Near-term targets cover the next several years and must include value-chain emissions where those make up a large part of the footprint, which is common, since Scope 3 emissions often dominate.
Long-term targets aim at net zero, with most emissions cut and the rest neutralised by permanent removals. The SBTi treats purchased credits as beyond value chain mitigation, which companies are encouraged to fund on top of their own cuts. Use 'science-based' only for targets the initiative has validated, and check when the review took place, since its criteria are revised over time.