Global IT specialist SITA has committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Net-Zero Standard and Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign.

By backing the initiative, SITA has committed to tackle its climate impact at the pace and scale required by climate science. The firm said that it will set robust and ambitious science-based emission reduction targets in a bid to reach net-zero by 2050 and align with limiting global warming to 1.5°C.  

Following the formal submission of commitment to SBTi, the next steps for SITA will be to define further the science-based near-term and long-term targets aligned to SBTi’s Net-Zero Standard criteria. It is anticipated that SBTi will assess these targets in late 2022 or early 2023 following target submission.    

Science-based targets are emissions reduction targets aligned with what the latest climate science says is needed to meet the goals of the climate change treaty, known as the Paris Agreement. These goals call to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. Science-based targets show companies how much and how quickly they need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to be consistent with keeping warming below the most dangerous levels.

David Lavorel, CEO, SITA At Airports & Borders, said: “We are actively helping the aviation industry to decarbonise. It’s important that we lead by example and not add to our customer’s emissions. By taking this step to commit to science-based targets, we aim to make sustained emission reductions aligned to climate science, so we reduce our climate impact and reach net-zero.”

SBTi is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). They are driving companies to set science-based targets to reduce emissions. The SBTi defines and promotes best practices in science-based target setting and independently assesses companies’ targets. Business Ambition for 1.5°C is a campaign led by the Science Based Targets initiative in partnership with the UN Global Compact and the We Mean Business coalition.