Science Based Targets
As part of our commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement, in 2017 we joined the Science Based Targets initiative, setting Science Based Targets for Ericsson´s own activities that aims to reduce the carbon footprint by 35% in 2022.
Targets adopted by companies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are considered “science-based” if they are in line with the level of decarbonization required to keep global temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial temperatures, as described in the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR5).
Science-based targets provide companies with a clearly defined pathway to future-proof growth by specifying how much and how quickly they need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The Paris agreement in 2015 saw 195 of the world’s governments commit to prevent dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees celsius. This signalled an acceleration in the transition to a low carbon economy. Many companies are already demonstrating they have the skills, expertise and ingenuity to make this a reality – but need ambitious emissions reduction targets that ensure the transformational action they take is aligned with current climate science.
As of 2020, there are recommended 1.5 degree C-aligned trajectories in place for network and data center operators. These trajectories were developed jointly by ITU, GSMA and GESI with Ericsson among the main contributors. Here is the guidance for ICT companies setting Science Based Targets.