Carbon neutrality
Handelsbanken’s climate goal is to achieve net zero emissions of greenhouse gases as soon as possible, and by 2040 at the latest. Our goal applies to our business operations, i.e. lending, leasing and investments. But it also includes us ourselves – the emissions deriving from our energy consumption and business travel. The EU’s goal is net zero emissions by 2050, while Handelsbanken has decided to adopt the more ambitious goal of 2040. We are convinced that a rapid, co-ordinated transition, aimed at limiting global warming to as close to 1.5°C as possible, would be best for our customers, for the communities we operate in, and thus also for us.
Where we are today
Handelsbanken’s own operations have been carbon neutral since 2017, and we climate compensate for the carbon dioxide emissions we cannot avoid. We work tirelessly to reduce these emissions, to the extent that we have achieved a decrease of 48 per cent since 2013.
Goals, sub-goals and strategies are reviewed and revised on an ongoing basis, to align with developments in scientific knowledge and the IPCC’s reports. In order to ensure the work of achieving Handelsbanken’s climate goal is correctly prioritised, the Bank has signed up to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), meaning that we commit to applying these methods and to set reduction targets in line with scientific knowledge.
What does net zero emissions mean?
Net zero emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere means those emissions that are made are not out of balance with the ecological cycle, or can be removed with the help of technological solutions. At this point, the emissions would no longer contribute to the greenhouse effect.
