Why is SBTi's Scope 3 ambition lower than its Scope 1 and 2 ambition?
Near-term Scope 1 and 2 targets must match the decarbonisation needed for 1.5 degrees. Near-term Scope 3 targets need only match the level that keeps warming well below 2 degrees. Combined targets are reviewed part by part, so the Scope 1 and 2 portion still has to meet the 1.5 degree bar.
The two bars
- Scope 1 and 2: near-term targets consistent with limiting warming to 1.5 degrees.
- Scope 3: near-term targets, whether on total required Scope 3 or single categories, aligned with methods consistent with well below 2 degrees.
Combined targets
A target that joins scopes, such as 1+2 or 1+2+3, is allowed if the SBTi can review each component and confirm each meets its own bar. In a combined near-term target the Scope 1+2 part must be at least 1.5 degrees and the Scope 3 part at least well below 2 degrees. Where sector guidance sets a stricter minimum for Scope 3 activities, that guidance wins.
What it means for a supplier
If a customer shows you its target, read which scope it is and which bar it met. A customer with a 1.5 degree Scope 1 and 2 target and a looser Scope 3 target is still within the rules. Your emissions sit in its Scope 3.
What Senseible does here
Senseible turns your invoices and bills into verified Scope 1 and 2 records, and shows where supplier data is still missing for Scope 3. Verified here means rule checks passed against the evidence. It is not third-party assurance, and it does not validate targets: only the SBTi's validation process does.
Sources: SBTi, Corporate Near-Term Criteria, version 5.3.1 (April 2026)
Last reviewed 2026-11-04.