Earth Protect Blog

24 | 05 | 2023



The new freshwater method will focus on setting science-based targets to reduce impacts on freshwater quality and quantity and align with local boundaries.

In brief:

•The Science Based Targets Network has released new guidance for setting science-based targets for freshwater in conjunction with new guidance for companies to assess their impacts on nature and prioritize locations and hotspots along the value chain.

•Setting science-based targets for freshwater can help companies shape more comprehensive and effective water strategies to reduce their impact on freshwater resources, manage risks and bolster climate efforts. 

•The freshwater method is consistent with best practices in water stewardship and complementary to existing initiatives and standards, including TNFD, AWS and GRI.

•At this stage, targets can only be set for a company’s operations and upstream value chain. Downstream guidance is currently being developed for later release.

•SBTN will also provide guidance to support stakeholder engagement efforts to improve traceability, which is required to understand the pressures on water quality and quantity in the  basins they draw from.

Though water is a critical natural resource that’s central to nearly every stage of the value chain, it’s a major blindspot for many companies. Few are taking sufficient action to reduce their dependencies and impacts, opening themselves up to significant risk. To help companies reduce their impacts on freshwater, manage associated risks and bolster their climate efforts, the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) has released new guidance for setting science-based targets for freshwater. 

Building on the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), SBTN is a multi-stakeholder organization working to equip companies with the guidance and tools needed to set effective, science-based targets for nature and reduce their impacts beyond climate. Its main aim is for the world’s major companies and cities to adopt science-based targets and act on climate, freshwater, land, ocean, and biodiversity by 2025.  

The new freshwater method will focus on setting science-based targets to reduce impacts on freshwater quality and quantity and align with local boundaries. It’s being released together with new guidance by SBTN that aims to help companies assess their impacts on nature and prioritize locations and hotpots along the value chain — the first step towards setting integrated SBTs for climate, freshwater, land, ocean and biodiversity. A beta version of SBTN’s land method for setting science-based targets to protect and restore terrestrial ecosystems is also being released.

Methodologies for other Earth systems will be released in late 2023 and early 2024. 

Quantis helped shape and pilot the methodology underpinning the freshwater targets. We’ve gathered everything you need to know about the new freshwater target-setting framework and what it means for your business.