SBTs are a way for companies to define emissions reduction targets. Unlike traditional “potential-based targets”, SBTs follow a “top-down” approach: they focus on the quantity of emissions that needs to be reduced in order to meet the targets set out in the Paris Climate Agreement, limiting global warming to 1.5°C. In addition, the Net-Zero Standard, launched in October 2021, gives companies a science-based framework for defining ambitious and effective climate targets with a long-term goal of achieving net-zero emissions.

Net zero is on everyone's lips nowadays. So what exactly does “net zero emission” mean?

When comparing CO2 emissions internationally, three different emission variables of the individual countries are relevant: direct CO2 emissions, imported CO2 emissions and a country’s per capita emissions. Current figures on the three emission variables show that Switzerland is one of the largest causers of CO2 emissions.

A person produces on average 4.5 tonnes of CO2 per year. But what exactly does it mean to cause one tonne of CO2 and what can be understood by it? myclimate has drawn up a comparison.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a colourless and odourless gas that is a natural component of the air and part of the global carbon cycle. It plays an important role in photosynthesis, in which plants convert CO₂ into oxygen. At the same time, CO₂ is a significant greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming and climate change. Its concentration is influenced by natural processes and human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels. Monitoring and controlling CO₂ emissions are therefore central to environmental protection and climate policy.

A CO2 equivalent (CO2e) is a unit of measurement that is used to standardise the climate effects of various greenhouse gases.

CO₂ certificates represent the amount of emissions for which financial responsibility is assumed through support for climate protection projects. One certificate corresponds to one tonne of greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse gases are the gases in the Earth’s atmosphere that produce the greenhouse effect. Most greenhouse gases can have either a natural or an anthropogenic (man-made) source.

The greenhouse effect is basically a natural process that has a significant impact on the temperature on Earth. However, since the beginning of industrialisation, the presence of long-lasting greenhouse gases has been increasing dramatically.

The anthropogenic greenhouse effect is due to greenhouse gases emitted by humans, which amplify the natural greenhouse effect. This leads to global warming. This noticeable change in the climate has a significant impact on people and nature.

The ecological footprint was developed by Mathis Wackernagel and William Rees in the mid-1990s and it has since been implemented as an indicator for sustainability. It represents the demands made on the ecosystem and natural resources.

The digital transformation has brought many benefits that also have positive effects in the fight against climate change and reduce CO₂ emissions. However, the production, use and data transmission of digital devices cause CO₂ emissions that are greater than you might think. These emissions are summarised under the term "digital CO₂ footprint" or digital carbon footprint.

In Europe, North America, Australia and New Zeeland, national and regional emissions trading systems have been introduced to regulate industries that are particularly energy-intensive and emissions-intensive through a market mechanism. Emissions trading employs a marketplace to reduce emissions of harmful gases, which creates motivation for investing in climate-friendly technologies.

To reach "zero net greenhouse gas emissions” and limit global warming to 1.5°C, it is necessary to remove and permanently store CO₂ from the atmosphere. This is called Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR). As it is the opposite of emissions, these practices or technologies are often described as "negative emissions", "sinks" or "removals". There is a direct link between radically reducing CO₂ emissions and CDR: The earlier net zero emissions are achieved, the less CDR is necessary. Therefore, the projected amount of required CDR over the 21st century varies from 100 to 1,000 Gt CO₂.

The term carbon budget is used to illustrate the average amount of CO₂ per resident that may be produced in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C. By ratifying the Paris Agreement, Switzerland has committed itself to reducing its emissions by 50% by 2030 and to limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Based on Switzerland’s historic emissions, the country’s annual budget per person is a maximum of 0.47t of CO₂ by 2100.

The CO₂ tax is also known as the CO₂ price or CO₂ pricing and, like any other tax, is set individually by a state. In Sweden, the CO₂ tax has been in place since 1991 and currently stands at 114 euros per tonne of CO₂ emitted. In Switzerland, Denmark, Finland and Slovenia, a CO₂ tax has also been standard for many years. In Germany, the CO₂ tax will be introduced from 2021 with an introductory price of 25 euros and will increase gradually. By taxing CO₂ emissions, the countries are pursuing the goal of making CO₂ emissions more expensive in order to achieve a reduction in CO₂ emissions.

Climate models are used together with emission scenarios to calculate the probable future climate, so-called climate projections. The climate models describe how the earth's climate functions, while the emission scenarios describe the impact of humans on the environment. If the climate models are combined with the emission scenarios, it is possible to predict with a certain amount of probability how the climate will be in the future.

"Offsetting" means compensating for carbon dioxide emissions generated in one place by funding equivalent climate-effective reductions in another. This term can, however, create the wrong impression that no emissions are generated at all.

Greenhouse gas emissions produced by people and the resulting global temperature increase are a key cause of climate change. Through decarbonisation – the switch from fossil fuels to carbon-free and renewable energy sources – states and companies worldwide want to reduce and avoid CO2 emissions. However, current global climate targets are still not ambitious enough to effectively stem climate change.