Cermaq pledges to cut 35% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030

B.C.-based Salmon producer Cermaq announced that it will sign onto the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as a show of the company’s commitment to the UN Paris Agreement to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius.

The company says it plans to cut 35 per cent of its total greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 by converting more electric boats and facilities, using renewable energy, climate-friendly transport and feed.

The SBTi, which is what Cermaq’s climate targets are based on, is a partnership between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute and the World Wide Fund for Nature. Together, this organization promotes climate action in the global private sector.

“Climate change is the single largest environmental issue we are facing today,” says David Kiemele, managing director of Cermaq Canada. “In B.C., we are now witnessing weather and ocean conditions never seen before in our lifetime. The time is now for businesses to step up and lead the way in climate action. There is no time to waste, our ocean ecosystems depend on it.”

Recently, the Canadian government passed the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act to formalize Canada’s commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. This act also establishes interim emissions targets at five-year intervals.