SBTi revises forest and agriculture standard

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is consulting stakeholders on a revised Forest, Land and Agriculture Standard. This matters because land use remains the third-largest source of global emissions, yet corporate climate targets often treat agriculture, forestry and land conversion as peripheral issues.

The standard sets requirements for companies to address emissions from their operations and supply chains in these sectors. A revision signals SBTi recognises the previous version needed sharpening – either on scope coverage, verification rigour, or alignment with evolving climate science.

SBTi has become the dominant framework for corporate net-zero claims. Companies pay for validation; investors, regulators and procurement teams increasingly demand SBTi approval as proof a target isn't greenwashing. The organisation now accredits targets across 9,000+ companies globally.

A tighter Forest, Land and Agriculture Standard could mean tougher expectations for companies in food production, retail, consumer goods and agribusiness to measure and cut emissions tied to deforestation, livestock, fertiliser use and land conversion. It could also narrow opportunities for creative accounting – for instance, buying offsets from forest projects while leaving direct supply chain emissions unaddressed.

Stakeholders submitting input will likely include NGOs pushing for stricter biodiversity and deforestation language, companies wanting wiggle room, and agricultural bodies seeking feasibility carve-outs. The outcome shapes which corporate commitments investors will back and which procurement teams will trust.

The question: will SBTi use this revision to close loopholes, or water down standards to keep participation high?

SBTi issues call for input to inform revision of Forest, Land and Agriculture Standard - Science Based Targets Initiative

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