Search

New SBTi CEO urges companies to step up action on net zero

We are an online community created around a smart and easy to access information hub which is focused on providing proven global and local insights about sustainability

10 Apr, 2025

This post was originally published on Green Biz

Source: Green Biz

Key takeaways:

  • SBTi’s new CEO stresses the need for flexibility in target-setting methodologies.
  • Corporations shouldn’t wait for the new Corporate Net Zero Standard methodology to set emissions reduction goals.
  • Climate transition plans will become a critical component of the target-setting process.

The Science Based Targets initiative’s new CEO, former EY sustainability consultant David Kennedy, said the nonprofit must evolve to recognize “pragmatic” approaches for corporate emissions reductions as it finalizes extensive revisions to the Corporate Net Zero Standard.

Kennedy officially joined SBTi in early April, after being named as the new CEO in early January. He boasts three decades of experience in developing net-zero strategies within government and the private sector, especially those related to food systems.

While Kennedy is in “listening and learning” mode during his initial days as CEO, he offered initial impressions and hints about his priorities during an April 9 webinar convened to field questions about the proposed new standard published March 18. SBTi is accepting feedback on the revisions until June 1, as part of public consultations and an online survey. 

“We have to be science based, but we can be more pragmatic and more action focused,” Kennedy said. “We need to be a listening organization; we need to be building relationships.”

New political and economic reality

The Corporate Net Zero Standard revision comes at a fragile moment. While most corporations remain “committed and determined” to reduce emissions, the mood has shifted because of the U.S. political situation and some will find it “very difficult” to meet their original reduction targets set for 2030, Kennedy said. 

SBTi must find ways to reward action even when companies fall short of the goal, he said, noting: “It’s more clear as we move to implementation just what the challenges are.” 

Kennedy highlighted several proposed evolutions in the methodology that he said should benefit corporate practitioners, including:

  • A defined process to assess progress and gaps at the end of a target cycle
  • The decision to let corporations set separate targets for Scope 1 (their own operations) and Scope 2 (purchased electricity and energy)
  • A proposal to require corporations to submit a climate-transition action plan after having targets validated

Companies should not wait for the new standard, which won’t be finalized until late 2026. SBTi will offer a transition path and there “will be mechanisms to align with the next cycle,” Kennedy said. “Get on with acting and driving down your carbon footprint.” 

[Connect with more than 3,500 professionals decarbonizing and future-proofing their organizations and supply chains through climate technologies at VERGE, Oct. 28-30, San Jose.]

The post New SBTi CEO urges companies to step up action on net zero appeared first on Trellis.

Pass over the stars to rate this post. Your opinion is always welcome.
[Total: 0 Average: 0]

You may also like…

Bee Hotels Can Help Native Pollinators Recover in the Wake of Climate-Fueled Wildfires: Study

Bee Hotels Can Help Native Pollinators Recover in the Wake of Climate-Fueled Wildfires: Study

Wild pollinator populations are declining all over the world, with increasingly severe climate change-fueled wildfires threatening their survival. These intense wildfires are also putting long-term ecosystem health and biodiversity at risk. Bee hotels are artificial nesting structures that have been specially designed to house cavity-nesting species. Often placed in backyards or gardens, they provide safe […]
The post Bee Hotels Can Help Native Pollinators Recover in the Wake of Climate-Fueled Wildfires: Study appeared first on EcoWatch.

ABB receives EPD status for gearless mill drive ring motor

ABB receives EPD status for gearless mill drive ring motor

ABB has gained Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) status for its Gearless Mill Drive (GMD) ring motor — technology used to drive large grinding mills in the mining industry.

An EPD is a standardised document that provides detailed information about the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle. Based on a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study, the EPD highlights ABB’s commitment to transparency, environmental responsibility and supporting customers in making informed decisions on sustainability in their supply chains.

ABB analysed the environmental impact of a ring motor across its entire life cycle from supply chain and production to usage and end-of-life disposal. The study was conducted for a ring motor of a semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) mill with an installed power of 24 MW and was based on a reference service life of 25 years.

“Sustainability is at the core of our purpose at ABB, influencing how we operate and innovate for customers,” said Andrea Quinta, Sustainability Specialist at ABB. “By earning the Environmental Product Declaration for our ring motor, we emphasise our environmental stewardship and industry leadership for this technology. We adhered to the highest standards throughout this process, as we do in the ABB Ring Motor factory every day. This recognition highlights to the mining industry what they are bringing into their own operations when they work with ABB.”

The comprehensive LCA was conducted at ABB’s factory in Bilbao, Spain, and was externally verified and published in accordance with international standards ISO 14025 and ISO 14040/14044. It will remain valid for five years.

The ring motor, a key component of the GMD, is a drive system without any gears where the transmission of the torque between the motor and the mill is done through the magnetic field in the air gap between the motor stator and the motor rotor. It optimises grinding applications in the minerals and mining industries by enabling variable-speed operation, leading to energy and cost savings.

The full EPD for the ABB GMD Ring Motor can be viewed on EPD International.

0 Comments