Today at the launch of BioMar’s Sustainability Report, the group announced that it became the first aquafeed company to have its ambitious carbon reduction targets independently validated to meet the 1.5°C trajectory. This is currently the most ambitious designation available through the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) process.
“As around 80% of the carbon emissions of aquaculture farming come from the feed, our customers expect BioMar to take ambitious steps quickly to reduce our emissions,” stated Vidar Gundersen, Global Sustainability Director, BioMar Group.
Global warming and climate change are amongst the most pressing societal problems facing us. We are in a period of transition in terms of energy and fossil emissions, and the next 10-20 years will be decisive for whether we will manage to reverse the trend of global warming.
The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report delivers a ‘final warning’ on climate change. IPCC announced that human activities had already caused approximately 1.1°C of global warming compared to pre-industrial levels (IPCC, 2023). If business as usual continues, warming will likely reach 3°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century (Hausfather and Peters, 2020).
In BioMar’s 2022 Sustainability Report, it outlines the ambitious reduction targets validated by the SBTi initiative. In 2022 the total reduction was at 5.5% from the commitment to reduce emissions by one-third by 2030. Together with suppliers, we have launched improvement programmes to reduce environmental impacts and increase circular and restorative practices, as most of aquafeed’s carbon footprint comprises Scope 3 emissions related to the raw materials.
“Applied, science-based sustainability is a mantra at BioMar, and data quality is key. We have skilled global and local teams working with cutting-edge tools and methodologies for optimised sustainability solutions. We will all reach our targets sooner by collaborating together through the value chain,” said Vidar Gundersen.
In 2022, BioMar turned 60 years and celebrated this milestone by undertaking environmental and social community projects across BioMar. These are showcased in that report along with the new corporate strategy.
“We undertook the biggest strategy process in the history of BioMar. An outcome of our new strategy is to go beyond feed and hopefully pave the way for BioMar to become an even better solutions provider. Our new strategy, ABOVE & BEYOND, will guide our actions and initiatives until 2028. It is an ambitious strategy with exciting opportunities, and sustainability is no longer just a part of the strategy – it is the strategy”, concluded Carlos Diaz, CEO BioMar Group.