Beyond Value Chain Mitigation

Guidance for beyond value chain mitigation

Why take action?

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the remaining ‘carbon budget’ for a 50% chance of limiting warming to 1.5˚C is only 500 gigatons CO2. Even under optimistic projections, there is an enormous gap between where we are headed by 2030 and where we need to be. Estimates suggest that annual climate finance needs to increase by at least seven times to meet internationally-agreed climate objectives by 2030. At least $4.3 trillion USD in annual finance flows are needed by 2030. But today, approximately $665 billion USD is available, around 20% of which is deployed by the corporate sector.

SBTi-validated companies are already deploying climate finance towards achieving their science-based targets. However, the SBTi strongly recommends that companies go above and beyond their science-based targets to invest in mitigation beyond their value chains. This is because:

  • There is still a significant number of companies without science-based targets
  • There are important sources of emissions outside corporate value chains, such as those linked to subsistence agriculture)
  • Government policies are not yet sufficiently ambitious to deliver a 1.5°C future

The SBTi’s Corporate Net-Zero Standard calls this activity beyond value chain mitigation (BVCM).

Analysis conducted by Systemiq for the SBTi found that almost 70% of surveyed companies felt that the private sector should be doing more than abatement of value chain emissions. However, they needed guidance on best practice in beyond value chain mitigation activities and investments.

About the project

In response to this call for guidance, the SBTi has initiated a project to publish a Beyond Value Chain Mitigation Guidance Paper in 2023. It will provide recommendations for companies covering the minimum benchmarks for credibility and best practices for transparency. The SBTi will also explore the role of climate claims and other mechanisms for incentivising scale up of private sector climate finance.

To date, the SBTi has taken the following actions in the guidance development process:

Project participants

The SBTi is the project lead, manager and convening agent. The Project Team consists of representatives from the SBTi partner organizations plus a secondee from Systemiq. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is also providing consultancy support.

Stakeholder involvement is possible via the following groups:

Expert advisory group (EAG): The EAG is composed of technical experts from stakeholder organizations and companies interested in investing in beyond value chain mitigation.

Public consultation: Both industry and non-industry representatives will be able to provide feedback on the Guidance as part of a public consultation process. SBTi will ensure robust public participation via webinars and socialization of the consultation. Sign up for the mailing list to stay up to date with project milestones, including opportunities for public consultation.

Financial support

Financial support for the project has thus far been provided by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Resources

Contact

For enquiries about the beyond value chain mitigation project, email the team at info@sciencebasedtargets.org

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