Saab’s emission reduction targets for 2050 have been approved

Saab joined the UN’s Race to Zero initiative to combat climate change and setting science-based targets in line with the Paris Agreement in 2021. The Science Based Targets initiative drives ambitious climate action in the private sector by enabling organisations to set science-based emissions reduction targets. The SBTi is a partnership between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).  

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Saab’s emission reduction targets for 2050 have been approved

Green defence 

Sustainability is an integrated part of Saab’s strategy to drive value for customers, partners, employees, owners and society as a whole. Just as one example, Norway stated that all military procurements shall minimise environmental impact and provide safe working conditions. Contributing to safe and resilient societies, Saab is committed to maximising the positive impact on sustainability from its operations while ensuring that research, innovation and technology help enable sustainable development.

Warning from NATO

For some time now, alliances such as NATO have been issuing urgent warnings about the dangers of climate change and the associated dependencies, particularly in the energy sector. As part of the Munich Security Conference in February 2023, NATO co-hosted a roundtable on the topic with the International Military Council on Climate and Security (IMCCS), where NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges David van Weel emphasised that NATO ‘must integrate climate change and energy transition considerations throughout the NATO enterprise, including training, exercises, force planning, and military capability development and procurement.’ All this against the backdrop of supporting clean energy – including through technological innovation – while ensuring military effectiveness in a degraded security environment.

ESG in the EU

However, it is not only increasingly extreme conditions on the battlefield and dwindling resources that have been forcing the industry to finally get its act together when it comes to climate protection; the financial market is also exerting pressure and demanding transformation. The European Union's social taxonomy proposals, for example, would enforce stricter conditions for defence companies in the financial market, and more and more governments are demanding clear commitments and action on the part of the industry. Experts agree that defence is one aspect of security and that security is a basic condition for sustainability efforts but how the defence sector can function in an ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) context is still unclear.

The Ministry of Defence in the UK already only awards contracts to companies that can demonstrate a long-term plan to reduce carbon emissions. The U.S., Sweden and other European countries are following similar paths, and the EU also supports these ambitions: ‘I welcome the efforts of defence ministries to develop their national defence strategies to prepare their armed forces for climate change. The EU institutions will continue to support this important endeavour. The forthcoming EU joint communication on linking climate change, environmental degradation, security and defence will be an important milestone on the road to a European Union better able to deal with the security and defence implications of climate change,’ says Josep Borrell, Vice-President of the European Commission and Head of the European Defence Agency.

Transparency is essential

Saab has long strived to design its products sustainably. This was mainly because more efficient products were also more cost-effective, but on top of that, eliminating the substances of concern minimised health risks. Saab is also active in the industry and works with competitors in the ASD Europe association to identify climate change challenges and opportunities and to share information. 

Saab became the first major defence and security company to have its science-based emissions reduction targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. Saab thus follows a global emissions reduction methodology and commits to, among other things, reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 42% and Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2030 (baseline 2020). An SBTi commitment target of 50% in Scope 3 for Saab's supply chain by 2027 was also established. Scope 1 and 2 emissions include sources such as flight testing and services, heating and cooling of buildings, and electricity consumption, while Scope 3 emissions include business travel, transportation of goods, supply chain and customer use of Saab products. This puts Saab at the forefront of the industry. Once a quarter, Saab reports on its GHG (Greenhouse gas) emissions, and annually to the CDP (formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project) to ensure that the targets are based on appropriate measures.

Climate impact and conflicts

Challenging on this path, in any case, is the current growth within the industry. Can the sector really reduce its climate impact as conflicts increase? Since targets are absolute targets and were set in the period before this current growth it will be a challenge the sector needs to overcome. Nevertheless, Saab’s experts see the current situation as a short-term challenge, and firmly believe that the industry can and will succeed. There is no question that the entire industry, especially the supplier industry, will be challenged. Saab is therefore trying to make the GHG emissions from its supply chain, as well as those from the use of its products on the customer side, even more transparent and measurable. Saab can only take countermeasures if it knows where environmental impacts are happening. That's why transparency is essential when it comes to sustainability.

A long-term commitment 

Climate change multiplies the threats on the battlefield. Among other things, climate change leads to more severe weather events, higher temperatures, sandstorms and higher humidity. All these factors have an impact on the functionality and physical condition of weapon systems and military equipment. Research capacity has been increased throughout the industry and many new technologies are already on the market, but they are not always deployed. Climate protection is a long-term commitment and therefore must be treated as such, both, within the industry and among customers. Since we know that fossil fuels are becoming scarcer for various reasons, there should be more interest in what bridging technologies can already achieve. But there has already been considerable progress. Saab JAS 39 Gripen are single-engine fighter jets certified to run on up to 50% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). In test flights, they have shown no drop in performance even when operating on 100% synthetic fuel.

Reduction of fuel consumption

With the long-life cycles of military products – up to 60 or even 100 years in some cases – bridging solutions can make a big difference. Saab is therefore conducting intensive research into how new fuel systems can be implemented and fossil fuels can at least partially be replaced. It also points its customers to particularly low-emission and energy-efficient products in its established Climate Impact Portfolio., for example, its Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control (A-SMGCS), a system that enhances a controller’s ability to manage airport traffic efficiently. With advanced tracking and safety net algorithms, it tracks every target, slow or high manoeuvring, resulting in a high probability of detection and low false alarm rates. The system even exceeds the alert capabilities defined by EUROCONTROL and EUROCAE. Saab’s Routing function automatically calculates a route for each inbound or outbound aircraft based on parameters such as runway configuration and other constraints. All of this leads to efficient traffic flows and less fuel consumption. The A-SMGCS system is in operation in over 100 airports around the world, including in the United States (at the 45 largest airports), Europe, Asia, Australia and South America.

The portfolio also includes camouflage products. For example, the Saab Barracuda CoolCam, which uses the specially developed heat reduction system to reduce interior temperatures in vehicles and improve the efficiency of the air conditioning system while driving or in use. A combination of insulation and reflection of solar radiation prevents the vehicle surface from heating up during the daytime solar cycle. At the same time, the system provides cooler surfaces in addition to the energy savings that come with a reduced need for cooling. This also makes it easier for personnel to work and move around outside the vehicle a win-win situation in terms of the operational benefits and the impact on the environment.

Modify, develop, adapt

Saab's environmental strategy focuses on three main areas: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving resource efficiency and the circular economy, and phasing out substances of concern. There is not one simple solution. All options must be exhausted in order to rapidly reduce emissions and adapt products to the new challenges. This starts with the use of renewable energy in production, the reduction of waste and a conscious decision in favour of renewables when purchasing electricity. Recycling also plays a major role. 

Even today, Saab would like to use more recycled materials, but the corresponding legal framework is still lacking in some areas. In the case of aircraft, for example, certain components must be made from virgin materials for reasons of flight safety. It is not always easy to reduce the ecological footprint of a product range, however, experts think it is important to remain open to many avenues. At Saab, the team looks at how they can modify every existing product or make it more efficient and robust through additional functions. At the same time, the company is investing in research for new technologies, new materials with new capabilities and how it can replace fossil fuels altogether in the future.

Boldly into the future

Experts agree – there is potential in the defence sector. A 2019 Roland Berger study explored the benefits that defence industry players can experience through environmental change, finding that reducing the military carbon footprint simultaneously enables more efficient use of resources and more effective operations. This mindset needs to be firmly embedded in the sector's long-term sustainability strategy to ensure that decarbonisation is a differentiator and not just a necessary evil.

Current geopolitical developments show that a strong defence industry is needed to protect societies and to seriously enable sustainability efforts in the first place. It is therefore even more important that the industry quickly adapts to the new framework and applies its technological pioneering role, which it has in so many other areas, to climate protection. Otherwise, the defence industry will, at some point, be the only user of fossil fuels and will thus find itself in extreme danger and dependent. Green defence will not only be the future. It will make our entire sector stronger and more resilient and ultimately, everyone will benefit from this.

What happened in 2024?

2024 has been an important year for Saab, marked by significant developments across various sectors. With a strong emphasis on innovation, defense, and sustainability, Saab has continued to solidify its position as a leader in cutting-edge technology.

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