Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Board of Trustees decision on offsetting undermines science and endangers the climate

Carbon Market Watch argues that the SBTi Board of Trustees' decision to recognize carbon credits for abating scope 3 emissions violates scientific principles and governance processes. The organization claims this flexibility allows companies to appear climate-positive on paper while continuing to emit greenhouse gases, potentially dismantling the mitigation hierarchy that prioritizes deep internal emission reductions. Carbon Market Watch calls for the retraction of the decision, a public analysis of evidence regarding environmental attribute certificates, and a review of the SBTi's board delegation process.

• The SBTi Board of Trustees decided that environmental attribute certificates could serve as an additional tool for abating scope 3 emissions, which typically constitute the largest part of a company's carbon footprint.
• Carbon Market Watch asserts that allowing carbon credits for scope 3 targets enables corporations to simulate climate performance improvements while continuing to emit greenhouse gases, thereby undermining the 'science-based' nature of the initiative.
• The decision is described as a violation of governance because the board reportedly overturned a key policy without clearly consulting the SBTi Technical Council.
• The decision risks reversing the mitigation hierarchy, which prioritizes rapid and deep internal emissions reductions over offsetting.

APA

Dufrasne, G. (2024). Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Board of Trustees decision on offsetting undermines science and endangers the climate. Carbon Market Watch. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/2024/04/10/science-based-targets-initiative-sbti-board-of-trustees-decision-on-offsetting-undermines-science-and-endangers-the-climate/

Chicago

Dufrasne, Gilles. Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Board of Trustees decision on offsetting undermines science and endangers the climate. Carbon Market Watch, 2024. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/2024/04/10/science-based-targets-initiative-sbti-board-of-trustees-decision-on-offsetting-undermines-science-and-endangers-the-climate/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Dufrasne |first1=Gilles |title=Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Board of Trustees decision on offsetting undermines science and endangers the climate |publisher=Carbon Market Watch |date=10 April 2024 |url=https://carbonmarketwatch.org/2024/04/10/science-based-targets-initiative-sbti-board-of-trustees-decision-on-offsetting-undermines-science-and-endangers-the-climate/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{dufrasne2024science, author = {Dufrasne, Gilles}, title = {{Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Board of Trustees decision on offsetting undermines science and endangers the climate}}, publisher = {Carbon Market Watch}, year = {2024}, month = apr, url = {https://carbonmarketwatch.org/2024/04/10/science-based-targets-initiative-sbti-board-of-trustees-decision-on-offsetting-undermines-science-and-endangers-the-climate/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }