STACK Wins SBTi Validation for 2050 Net-Zero Targets

STACK Infrastructure has received Science Based Targets initiative validation for its near-term and net-zero greenhouse gas reduction targets, setting a pathway to cut absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 90 percent by 2034 from a 2021 base year and maintain at least that level of reduction through 2050. For Scope 3, the data center operator is targeting a 63.8 percent reduction in emissions per megawatt of operational capacity by 2034 and a 97 percent reduction by 2050, with the target boundary covering its global data center portfolio, leased offices and all applicable Scope 3 categories.

 

Scope 1 and 2 Targets Focus on Absolute Reductions

 

STACK’s treatment of operational emissions is relatively direct. The company has committed to cutting absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 90 percent by 2034, covering direct emissions from sources such as fuel combustion and refrigerants as well as indirect emissions from purchased electricity, heating and cooling.

The absolute nature of the target matters because it does not allow the company to offset portfolio growth simply by improving emissions efficiency per unit of capacity. STACK will need to reduce total operational emissions even as its data center footprint expands, making energy sourcing, refrigerant management and site operations central to the pathway.

 

Read more: Schneider Electric, Greenly Expand SME Decarbonization Program

 

Scope 3 Is Measured Against Data Center Capacity

 

STACK is using a different approach for value-chain emissions. Rather than setting an absolute Scope 3 reduction target, it plans to cut Scope 3 emissions per megawatt of operational data center capacity by 63.8 percent by 2034 and 97 percent by 2050 from the same 2021 base year.

That reflects the scale challenge facing fast-growing digital infrastructure companies. Scope 3 emissions include purchased goods and services, construction materials, equipment, business travel, waste and other upstream and downstream activities, many of which can rise as new facilities are built. Measuring emissions against operational capacity allows STACK to track how carbon-intensive each unit of growth becomes, although total Scope 3 emissions could still depend heavily on how quickly the portfolio expands.

 

Construction Emissions Will Be Central to the 2050 Pathway

 

The target boundary includes 100 percent of STACK’s applicable Scope 3 inventory, making construction-related emissions an important part of the company’s long-term decarbonisation challenge. Data centers require large volumes of concrete, steel, electrical equipment and cooling infrastructure, so reducing embodied emissions across development activity will be important alongside operational energy improvements.

The company said the validated targets will guide the specific decarbonisation measures it prioritises as the portfolio grows. The source does not yet detail which technologies, materials or procurement changes will deliver the required Scope 3 reductions, so implementation will become the next important measure of progress.

 

Explore OneStop ESG Marketplace: Industrial decarbonization

 

SBTi Validation Creates a Clearer Accountability Framework

 

SBTi validation means STACK’s targets have been assessed against the initiative’s scientific and technical criteria rather than being defined solely by the company. That gives investors, customers and other stakeholders a clearer benchmark for tracking whether emissions reductions remain aligned with the stated pathway.

Bethany Brantley, SVP and Global Head of Sustainability at STACK Infrastructure, said the validation gives the company greater discipline around measuring progress across both operations and the value chain. The next test will be how STACK translates those validated percentages into measurable reductions as demand for digital infrastructure continues to grow.