SCIENCE BASED TARGETS FOR BPOST
In its effort to remain an environmental champion, bpost verified that its CO2 reduction
objective is in line with the Science Based targets (SBT), ie limiting temperature increase to
less than 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels. CO2logic certifies that the level of ambition of
bpost’s target exceeds the requirement of its sector.
Background
Science Based Targets is a joint initiative by CDP, the UN Global
Compact (UNGC), the World Resources Institute (WRI) and WWF
aimed at increasing corporate ambition on climate action by
creating an expectation that companies will set targets that are in
line with the level of decarbonization required by science to limit
temperature increase to less than 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels.
In 2008, bpost set a reduction target for CO2 of -35 % by 2015
(compared to 2007). Bpost has worked out a new reduction target for
2020 based on different scenarios supported by a simulation model.
The reduction target has been set to -45% by 2020 compared to 2007.
What do Science Based targets mean for bpost?
The Science Based targets for bpost have been calculated thanks to the tool developed for that
purpose, the SDA Draft Tool1 (v1) . The SDA tool calculates emissions reduction targets based on the
relative contribution of bpost to the total “other transport” sector activity and their carbon intensity
relative to the sector’s intensity in the base year (ie 2010). It is in line with IPCC recommendations
and it provides bpost with a benchmark to develop climate targets up to 2050.
According to the SDA Tool, bpost’s emissions should decrease by 30% by 2020, compared to 2007,
and by 65% by 2050. The targets established by bpost are even more ambitious, as they aim to reach
a 45% decrease by 2020.
The chosen sector is “Other transport”. According to the methodology used, the level activity growth
has been estimated at 3.3% per year and possible reduction measures include fuel economy policies,
fuel replacement options, load optimization and efficiency strategies, and vehicle technology
improvements. The main results provided by the tool for Scopes 1 and 2 are illustrated in the
following figure. This exercise has to be re-assesed every 5 years to update the assumptions.
1
http://sciencebasedtargets.org/tools/
Source: sciencebasedtargets.org
The next figure compares the CO2 emission pathways of bpost and of the Science Based targets tool
at the horizon 2020. An extra reduction of 15.900 tCO2 is observed in 2020.
Scope 1 + Scope 2 emissions pathways at horizon
2020
80.000,00
tCO2e
70.000,00
60.000,00
50.000,00
40.000,00
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
SBT Patth
bpost Path
The SBT path is based on the SDA Tool – Other Transport - (updated in August 2015), while bpost’s
path is based on the internal target of 45% compared to 2007.
Conclusion
The emission reduction target established by bpost by 2020 for Scopes 1 and 2 outweighs the Science
Based targets. We also encourage bpost to set up a new target of 36% decrease by 2050 compared
to 2020 or by 65% by the same year compared to 2007, in order to fulfill the Science Based targets.
Annexes
I.
General considerations on the methodology
The SDA methodology takes into account different aspects: the mitigation potential of the sector and
the growth rate.
It uses the detailed sectors-scenarios developed by the International Energy Agency up to 2050. It is
possible to estimate the 2°C-compatible carbon intensity for every sector by dividing the total
emissions of the sector in every year by the total activity of the sector in the same year (IEA,2012).
This graphic shows the level of ambition to be reached by each sector in order to achieve a 2°C
scenario:
II.
Sectorial trends
bpost has been considered as being part of the “other transport” sector. For the whole sector, the
emissions amounted to 2.788 MtCO2 in 2010 and need to decrease to 1.445 MtCO2 by 2050, a
decrease of 48 percent. The model considers that the economic activity will continue to grow while
emissions tend to decrease, leading to a decline in carbon intensity of 85 percent by 2050, as shown
in the next figure. The carbon intensity of the company and the sector in the base year are linearly
reduced at the same rate to 2050.