Climate

The climate crisis is one of the most pressing threats to humanity, and it is imperative that we limit global temperature increase to maximum 1,5 degrees in line with science and the Paris Agreement. In order to combat the climate crisis we all – individuals, companies and nations – need to transform, collaborate and act fast and boldly.

Businesses and industry must be at the heart of the global efforts to tackle the climate crisis. Through our partnership, WWF and IKEA take action towards a net-zero world and work to inspire other businesses to follow as well as put pressure on governments to set ambitious policies that favour climate-resilient, low-carbon development, energy efficiency, and clean renewable energy for all.

WWF and IKEA are working together on establishing a global framework for climate leadership called Beyond-Net-Zero and to develop tools for setting Science Based Targets for forests, land and agriculture. Together, WWF and IKEA aim to be a leading voice and advocate for ambitious climate action and target setting.

In 2020 IKEA became a Climate Savers partner within WWFs Climate Business Network.

How WWF works with climate and business

Our partnership’s work:

Develop a corporate climate leadership framework- Beyond-Net-Zero

WWF and IKEA are working together with other companies on the development of a credible, global approach for what it means to become a climate leading business. Together IKEA, WWF and others have taken the first steps to develop a framework – called Beyond Net-Zero -, aiming to provide clear actions aligned with best practices for corporate climate leadership. The guidance is meant for companies striving to contribute to the global transition towards net-zero.

The Flag project – Setting science based targets on forest, land and agriculture

WWF leads the science Based Target Initiative project on forest, land and agriculture (FLAG), where focus will be on the development of greenhouse gas accounting and target setting tools focused on land intensive sectors, such as forest, land and agriculture.

To date, there are no similar standards or tools allowing businesses to measure emissions from land intensive sectors, and developing these is key in order to reduce emissions in line with climate science and meet the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C.

IKEA is supporting the project both financially and by participating in stakeholder groups to support with expertise and give input to the development. The project is expected to be completed by 2022.

Climate policy and advocacy

The aim with our joint efforts within climate advocacy is to raise ambition at a country level by putting pressure on governments to set ambitious policies that favour climate-resilient, low-carbon development, energy efficiency, and clean renewable energy for all.

Our Tools:

Science Based Target initiative – a transition to a low-carbon economy

The Sciences Based Target initiative’s (SBTi) aim is that science based target setting will become standard business practice and corporations will play a major role in driving down global greenhouse gas emissions. Embedding science-based targets as a fundamental component of sustainability management practices is crucial in achieving this.

The initiative mobilises companies to set science-based targets and boost their competitive advantage in the transition to the low-carbon economy. It also defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting, offers resources and guidance to reduce barriers to adoption, and independently assesses and approves companies’ targets. WWF is a founding partner of the Science Based Target initiative, a coalition established in 2015 by CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute and WWF.

In 2018 IKEA’s targets on greenhouse gas emission reduction was approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

IKEA’s science based target include:

To reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions across the IKEA value chain by at least 15% by 2030 compared to 2016.
To reduce scope 1* and scope 2* greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by FY2030, compared to 2016.
To reduce absolute scope 3* greenhouse gas emissions from production at direct home furnishing, food, component and catalogue suppliers 80% by 2030, compared to 2016.
To reduce scope 3 GHG emissions 50% per person for customer and co-worker travel and home deliveries by2030, compared to 2016.

Scope 1: Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources.
Scope 2: Indirect emissions, such as purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed.
*Scope 3: All other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain.

WWF Climate Business Network

The Climate Business Network is WWF’s global platform to support business to align with a 1.5°C world and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. It provides companies with an opportunity to engage with other business leaders and WWF experts to gain the knowledge and guidance needed to take credible, ambitious climate action and fully grasp the benefits this offers for their business.

Climate Business Network members that meet exacting criteria for climate action will be named as Climate Savers. These companies will have demonstrated leadership by setting and acting on climate targets aligned with a 1.5°C future and advocating for ambitious climate policies.

To qualify for the Climate Savers tier, companies need to:

Have a 1.5°C-aligned target approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Publicly disclose their climate targets and progress toward those targets, preferably with disclosures verified by a third party.
Be strong public advocates of ambitious climate actions and policies that enable the transition towards a low-carbon economy.

Press releases and news

Make it Mandatory: IKEA amongst leading businesses calling for nature impact disclosures to be mandatory by 2030

IKEA has joined +300 leading businesses calling on Heads of State to implement an ambitious Target 15 at the UN CBD COP15 with mandatory requirements for large and transnational companies to assess and disclose their impacts and dependencies on biodiversity by 2030.
Read more about Business for Nature’s Make it Mandatory campaign here

Joint op-ed in Business Green: A strong Global Biodiversity Framework and the right policies can build a nature-positive economy

Coherent government policies are required to push whole sectors towards ‘nature-positive’ business models, write WWF’s Cristianne Close, IKEA’s Christina Niemela Strom and H&M’s Leyla Ertur. This joint op-ed was originally published in Business Green.
OP ED-Biodiversity-Business-Green PDF

STORIES FROM THE FIELD: Indigenous Women from the Oaxacan Copalita Watershed in Mexico are Driving Social Entrepreneurship and Nature Conservation

The Copalita-Zimatán-Huatulco watershed in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico is home to one third of the country’s biodiversity and equally rich in culture. Zapotec indigenous communities have lived in the upper and middle parts of the watershed for centuries, since pre-Hispanic times.
As in many rural areas, women in the Copalita watershed play a key role in managing natural resources, providing for their families, collecting wood and water, harvesting vegetables, and preparing meals. However, their contribution is often under-appreciated. And at a national level, women tend to face more severe challenges than men.
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WWF urges companies to ban wood sourcing from salvage logging in Russia

This ban is essential to reduce the high risk of illegal wood entering supply chains until strong control measures are in place.
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Renewed IKEA and WWF partnership to accelerate action to enhance biodiversity

For nearly 20 years WWF and Inter IKEA Group have partnered to drive positive environmental impact within different industries, and today a renewed term of partnership until 2025 is announced. The partnership reaffirms the commitment to protect, manage and restore key landscapes, and enable a nature and climate positive value chain to also uphold the rights and needs of people.
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