Three Years of FLAG: Lessons Learned, Progress Made, and the Road Ahead

It has been three years since the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) launched FLAG – a guidance designed to support land-intensive sectors on the path to a 1.5°C future. Kajsa Kihlberg, FLAG expert at 2050, writes about what progress has been made since then and what lessons we have learned along the way.

What is FLAG?
FLAG (Forest, Land and Agriculture Guidance) was developed by the SBTi to address target setting for land-related emissions, which account for approximately 22% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Together with the GHG Protocol’s Land Sector and Removals Guidance, these standards have put a much-needed spotlight on land-related emissions and potential removals, a critical step if we are to meet rising demand for land-based products while remaining aligned with the Paris Agreement.

“FLAG represents a turning point. It has quickly evolved into a decisive SBTi guidance that not only clarifies land-related emissions but also helps companies turn ambition into action and thereby strengthen their climate strategy for a 1.5°C future.”
– Kajsa Kihlberg, FLAG Expert at 2050 Consulting.

Key insights
Over the past three years, we at 2050 Consulting have supported several Nordic companies in interpreting and applying the FLAG targets. From this experience we can draw a number of conclusions:

• New ways of working
  Setting FLAG targets require new types of data and decisions, which call for more internal dialogues and anchoring within the company, leading to better understanding of the target and its different components and thus how to reach it.
• Expanding beyond food
  While most companies with approved FLAG targets are in the food sector, we’re now seeing growing interest from other industries, such as textile and retail. This underlines the importance for all companies to review their value chains and any land-related activities.
• Land sector and removal guidance as a catalyst
  Carrying out a screening of a company’s land related activities is not only necessary, but it also helps identify major emission sources and lays the foundation for a robust transition plan by focusing on the value chain. It fosters dialogue and collaboration, links value chain transformation with market incentives, and makes data the engine for demonstrating progress.

“In a world of shifting regulations and uncertainties, the SBTi provides companies with a clear, science-based ambition level across the entire value chain, aligned with the 1.5 °C pathway. Committing to the SBTi demonstrates not only alignment with the Paris Agreement but also a company’s determination to drive ambitious change throughout its value chain.”
– Kajsa Kihlberg, FLAG Expert at 2050 Consulting.

The Road Ahead
Over the past few years, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has moved from being a frontrunner framework to becoming the industry norm. Today, many companies have already set, or are well on their way to setting, validated SBTi FLAG targets.

As this momentum grows, many companies now find themselves facing the same challenge which lies in the next step, how companies can deliver on their commitments. This requires moving from ambition to action, developing a credible transition plan that goes beyond mapping the value chain to identifying and implementing measures that are both climate-effective and economically sustainable, while also safeguarding biodiversity.

A robust transition plan enables companies to focus on the actions that truly matter, those that drive meaningful emission reductions across the entire value chain. It provides not only a clear pathway towards achieving science-based targets, but also a foundation for long-term resilience and competitiveness.

Interested in setting a Science Based Target or how to develop a transition plan?

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