Have your say: SBTi launches Draft Interim 1.5°C Pathway for Automakers
11th Oct 2023
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has unveiled a new draft pathway for automakers to set near- and long-term targets to cut their scopes 1, 2 and 3 category 11 ‘use phase’ emissions in line with 1.5°C. The release kick-starts a month-long public consultation, which will inform the development of clear, robust and practical interim sector-specific criteria.
Carbon emissions from road vehicles were 5.87GT in 2022, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Automakers’ greatest share of emissions come from scope 3 category 11 ‘use-phase’. The SBTi is committed to ensuring automakers have a credible and robust pathway to align these emissions with 1.5°C.
The draft interim 1.5°C target-setting pathway for automakers is open for public consultation for 30 days until November 10 2023. Stakeholders interested in contributing their views are invited to complete this survey.
Following the transparent, multi-stakeholder public consultation period, the SBTi will review the insights received and release an operational interim 1.5°C target-setting pathway for automakers.
When operational, the interim pathway will give companies in the sector a tailored, accessible route to set 1.5°C-aligned science-based targets across scopes 1, 2 and 3 category 11. This interim resource will be available for automakers to use while the SBTi updates its Transport Guidance. This guidance and revised pathway will supersede the interim pathway to continue to enable automakers to submit 1.5°C targets for validation. All validated targets using the interim pathway will remain valid and be subject to the usual five-year review cycle.
The SBTi temporarily paused the validation of automakers in 2022 because there was no pathway for them to align their scope 3 category 11 emissions with 1.5°C. The release of the operational guidance will enable companies in this sector to meet this high level of ambition across scopes 1, 2 and 3 category 11 ‘use phase’.
Following the public consultation, the SBTi will assess the responses to inform the development of an operational interim pathway. Automakers with commitments that expire up to six months from the publication of the operational interim pathway will need to submit targets within six months from the launch in order to remain compliant. Once the interim pathway is operational, all automakers must use it when submitting new science-based targets for validation. Targets that are already validated will remain compliant, but are subject to the usual five year review cycle at which point updates for target setting will apply. Companies with well-below 2°C targets will be strongly encouraged to update their targets to 1.5°C using the new resources ahead of this timeframe.
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