Supermarket giant Morrisons has announced a string of new climate targets but said it will require an industry wide commitment for those targets to be met.

The group has published a new set of near and long-term science-based emissions reduction targets that have been formally approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Morrisons said its new 2050 net zero target covers the entire value chain including emissions from agriculture and land use sources. The targets align with global best practice under the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C pathway.

As part of its revised science-based pathway, Morrisons has committed to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 80% by 2035, and by 90% by 2050. With approximately 98% of Morrisons emissions from Scope 3, the company has also expanded its emissions target  to include a 40% reduction in Scope 3 energy and industrial emissions by 2035, and a 48.5% reduction in Scope 3 FLAG emissions within the same timeframe.

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The SBTi defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting and independently assesses companies’ targets.

Since first setting near-term carbon targets with the SBTi in 2021, Morrisons said it has made significant progress achieving a 22% reduction in total carbon emissions since 2019. This includes a 27% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions. The overall reduction has been driven by sustained operational changes, energy efficiency projects, lower-carbon logistics and collaboration with its suppliers.

Morrisons has also recalculated and strengthened its targets, expanding the scope and setting a clear long-term pathway to net-zero. The newly validated targets now cover the full breadth of the company’s value chain.

Long-term targets by 2050 – from 2019 base year – Include:

• Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain
• Reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 90%.
• Reduce absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions 90%.
• Reduce absolute Scope 3 FLAG GHG emissions 72%

Near-term targets to be delivered by 2035 include:

• Reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 80%.
• Reduce absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions 40%
• Reduce absolute Scope 3 FLAG GHG emissions 48.5% by 2035 with further commitment to no deforestation across primary deforestation-linked commodities by 31 December 2025.

Andrew Edlin, head Of sustainability at Morrisons said: “The validation of these targets reaffirms Morrisons commitment to sustainability and the move to a 2050 target across the full value chain is a big step forward in our journey to net zero.

“We are taking upstream and downstream emissions of our operations into account including emissions created in making products, in our stores, transport systems and then end of life emissions too. Additional targets for forest, land and agriculture (FLAG) emissions reflect the importance of land-use and agricultural impacts across the business.

“Independent approval gives us a clear roadmap to achieve meaningful, measurable reductions. We also recognise that industry-wide collaboration will be essential in achieving these goals and we are committed to working in partnership to deliver them.”