Call for SBTI to align methodology with UN’s High Level Expert Group report on Net-zero Commitments

The document is a formal letter from several NGOs to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) arguing that current SBTi guidelines are insufficient to meet the standards set by the UN High Level Expert Group's 'Integrity Matters' report. The authors identify gaps in environmental integrity, accountability, and credibility, specifically calling for a strict 1.5°C baseline, full Scope 3 emissions disclosure, and the phase-out of fossil fuels. They demand that SBTi increase transparency regarding company submissions and remove entities that fail to meet their commitments, citing JBS as an example of misleading claims.

• Current SBTi guidance for the Forest, Land and Agriculture (FLAG) sectors is criticized for only covering 67% of Scope 3 emissions for near-term targets, despite Scope 3 accounting for 75-90% of a food product's greenhouse gas emissions.
• The letter highlights a lack of separate reporting for methane and nitrous oxide in meat and dairy companies, noting that methane represents 50-80% of the emissions footprint for these entities.
• The NGOs claim that SBTi fails to require a complete phase-out of fossil fuels in transition plans and allows consumer goods companies to use intensity-based targets instead of absolute emissions reductions.
• The authors identify a lack of transparency in SBTi's process, stating there is no standardised information on company submissions and roadmaps available for independent scrutiny.
• The document calls for the removal of JBS from the SBTi 'committed' list, alleging the company uses the initiative to make misleading green claims after its 24-month approval period expired.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2023). Call for SBTI to align methodology with UN’s High Level Expert Group report on Net-zero Commitments. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Letter-to-SBTi-July-2023.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Call for SBTI to align methodology with UN’s High Level Expert Group report on Net-zero Commitments. 2023. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Letter-to-SBTi-July-2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Call for SBTI to align methodology with UN’s High Level Expert Group report on Net-zero Commitments |date=12 July 2023 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Letter-to-SBTi-July-2023.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{changingmarketsfoundation2023call, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Call for SBTI to align methodology with UN’s High Level Expert Group report on Net-zero Commitments}}, publisher = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2023}, month = jul, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Letter-to-SBTi-July-2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }