What is a science-based target and how are real estate firms adopting them for emissions goals?

A science-based target is an emissions reduction goal validated against the level of decarbonization required to limit global warming in line with climate science, rather than an arbitrary internally set benchmark.

What Makes a Target "Science-Based"

• Independent third-party validation, typically through the Science Based Targets initiative, confirms that a company's emissions reduction goals align with recognized climate pathways.
• Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions coverage is generally required, meaning real estate firms must account not just for their own operations but also tenant energy use and supply chain emissions.

How Real Estate Firms Are Adopting Them

• Portfolio-wide emissions baselines are established first, giving firms a clear starting point to measure progress against their validated target.
• Capital allocation toward decarbonization, including building electrification and renewable energy procurement, is increasingly directed specifically toward meeting these validated targets rather than general sustainability initiatives.

Adopting a science-based target gives real estate firms a credible, externally verified emissions goal that carries more weight with investors and tenants than a self-defined sustainability commitment.