Base year for scope 1, 2 and 3

Criteria
1

Dear SBTi experts,

As per the new (an old) criteria for FIs:

For scope 1 and 2
The reference point for the target is the base year (BY) and this can be set as far back as 2015.
The most recent year (MRY) is the latest year that an inventory is available. Normally, SBTi has only allowed two years prior as valid MRY inventories (there was an exception during Covid). SBTi recommends that the BY and MRY are the same. Both of these values must be inserted into the SBTi target setting tool and the submission form.

For Scope 3
There is nothing mentioned about the BY or MRY choice. Can it also be anywhere from 2015 as long as MRY data is shared?

Thank you for your help.

Best,
Valeria

2

Hi Valeria, the pilot test version 2.0 of the Near-Term Criteria and Recommendations for FIs now clarifies that the choice of base year shall be representative of the FI’s activities and shall be no earlier than 2015, and also that the SBTi uses the year the target is submitted to the initiative (or the most recent data, which must not be from earlier than two years prior to the year of submission) to assess forward-looking ambition.