At Corteva, we actively monitor and manage climate- and nature-related impacts, risks, and opportunities across all areas of our business – from R&D to strategy and operations. By evaluating these impacts, risks, and opportunities, we uncover opportunities to drive growth, develop smarter innovations, and improve efficiency.
When making investment decisions, we consider carbon emissions as an element of overall financial returns. Our R&D teams are focused on creating next-generation products that enable more sustainable agriculture, helping farmers adapt to changing weather patterns. Meanwhile, our operations teams track and respond to both short- and medium-term climate challenges to ensure we stay ahead of emerging risks and opportunities.
Corteva’s climate assessment journey
Our journey to address climate- and nature-related risks has been one of growth, innovation, and collaboration. By evolving from early assessments to advanced modeling, we are driving more sustainable solutions that help shape the future of agriculture.
2019–2021: broad qualitative assessments
- Evaluated physical and transitional risks
- Used Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 4.5 and 8.5) and IEA scenarios (NZE 2050 and SDS)
2022: collaborative climate scenarios
- Developed agriculture-specific climate transition scenarios with key stakeholders, integrating commodity pricing, acreage, and yield projections
2023–present: advanced data and analytics
- Integrated geospatial data and resilience analytics based on the latest 1.5°C‑aligned scenarios
- Corteva’s Decision Science teams enabling detailed internal modeling
- Producing more highly granular, data-driven strategies to map impacts, risks, and opportunities
Our advanced tools and partnerships are helping us better understand and respond to climate challenges. By combining geospatial data, internal modeling, and scenario analysis, we can anticipate risks, uncover opportunities, and ensure farmers have the solutions they need to thrive in a changing world.
While agriculture is often seen as a source of climate and nature risks, Corteva’s century of innovation proves the positive impact of technology by consistently delivering science-driven solutions that surpass historical benchmarks. By combining advanced environmental risk analytics with cutting-edge technology, we empower farmers to thrive in a changing world.
At the core of this mission are five key growth drivers that shape our strategy for creating more sustainable value:
Decision science
Provides predictive tools for informed decision-making
Gene editing
Enhances crop resilience and productivity
Agricultural systems
Enables new markets and sustainable practices
Proprietary technology
Drives value creation and efficiency for farmers
Biologicals and naturally-derived products
Supports nature-based solutions and soil health
We performed a climate risk assessment in 2025 using FY 2024 data to identify actual and potential impacts of both physical and transition risks and opportunities across short (2030), medium (2040), and long-term (2050) time horizons. This assessment focuses on a range of emissions scenarios for physical risk such as RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5 and leverages primarily the IEA Net Zero by 2050 scenario for transition risk analysis, which is 1.5°C-aligned by 2100 within Corteva’s underlying climate risk calculations. The table below provides an overview of the potential climate-related risks and opportunities identified and assessed through the climate risk assessment process.
Physical climate risks
We considered the impact of the following hazards: riverine flood, surface water flood, coastal inundation, soil movement, extreme wind, forest fire, extreme heat and freeze-thaw. The following physical risks were considered to have a material impact on Corteva and its operations.
Where in the value chain does the risk driver occur?
Upstream and Own Operations
What is the risk?
Inventory damage: the risk of physical damage to inventory due to extreme weather events impacting inventory quality and availability.
Impact on Corteva
Damage to inventory could result in potential financial losses, increased insurance costs, and disruptions in the supply chain and Corteva’s own operations. Additionally, diminished inventory quality could affect Corteva's production schedules and sales forecasts.
What is Corteva doing about it?
We are working to strengthen infrastructure resilience against extreme weather events and employing advanced monitoring systems to keep track of inventory conditions. We are also adopting comprehensive inventory management strategies, such as diversifying storage locations and optimizing logistics, to reduce the risk of damage and maintain inventory quality and availability.
Where in the value chain does the risk driver occur?
Upstream, Own Operations and Downstream
What is the risk?
Effect of climate change and unpredictable seasonal and weather factors: the weather could affect the quality, volume and cost of seed produced for sale. It could also impact customers’ ability to use the Company's products and seed supply, which could impact demand and product mix. Climate change could also affect the availability and suitability of arable land and contribute to unpredictable shifts in the average growing season and types of crops produced.
Impact on Corteva
Climate change and unpredictable seasonal and weather factors could impact our sales and earnings. Seed yields could be higher or lower than planned, which could lead to higher inventory and related write-offs.
What is Corteva doing about it?
As a global company, we recognize the challenges posed by climate change. We are committed to mitigating this risk through innovative technologies and practices, ensuring the sustainability of our operations and the quality of their products. We are committed to advancing agricultural resilience by investing in the development of weather-resistant crop and seed varieties. This investment includes costs associated with research and development, field trials, and regulatory approvals.
Where in the value chain does the risk driver occur?
Own Operations
What is the risk?
Property damage: the risk of physical damage to a property impacting asset value.
Impact on Corteva
The risk of property damage could impact Corteva by diminishing asset value and potentially leading to increased repair or replacement costs.
What is Corteva doing about it?
We are mitigating property damage to our facilities by implementing flood-resistant structures and establishing emergency response plans.
Material transition risks
Risk type & primary climate-related risk driver
Policy & Legal, Government Policy
Where in the value chain does the risk driver occur?
Own Operations
What is the risk?
Costs of complying with evolving regulatory requirements and the effect of actual or alleged violations of environmental laws or permit requirements: changes in environmental regulations, including those related to climate change, could inhibit or interrupt our operations, or require modifications to our facilities in the future. Actual or alleged violations of environmental laws or permit requirements could result in restrictions or prohibitions on plant operations, substantial civil or criminal sanctions, as well as the assessment of strict liability and/or joint and several liability.
Impact on Corteva
The costs of complying with evolving regulatory requirements could negatively impact our business, results of operations and financial condition.
What is Corteva doing about it?
Our Governance and Compliance Committee retains oversight for overseeing compliance with existing regulatory requirements and monitoring new and upcoming requirements. We are actively preparing for and engaging in ongoing activities to meet near-term compliance and regulatory requirements by continuously monitoring legislative developments and implementing adaptive strategies across our operations.
Risk type & primary climate-related risk driver
Policy & Legal, Government Policy
Where in the value chain does the risk driver occur?
Upstream
What is the risk?
Carbon pricing – upstream operations: carbon pricing mechanisms also pose a risk to our supply chain, as suppliers might pass on carbon costs that are driven by regulations and targets for GHG emissions reductions.
Impact on Corteva
Our operational costs could be affected by carbon pricing from a variety of sources in the supply chain. Countries where our suppliers are located could implement carbon pricing mechanisms on their emissions that then may or may not be passed on to Corteva.
What is Corteva doing about it?
We have a diversified global supplier base which reduces our exposure to localized carbon pricing fluctuations and regulatory changes. We also review the Company’s supply base, examining suppliers’ approaches to the environment. We also select our supplier base to include partners who have more sustainable and efficient operations.
Risk type & primary climate-related risk driver
Policy & Legal, Government Policy
Where in the value chain does the risk driver occur?
Own Operations
What is the risk?
Carbon pricing – own operations: carbon pricing mechanisms, whether implied or actual on Scope 1 and 2 emissions, could increase operational costs due to regulatory efforts to curb emissions.
Impact on Corteva
We could potentially see the impact of regulated carbon pricing mechanisms directly at the facility-level through direct carbon tax on emissions from our facilities or through cap-and-trade system where credits could have to be purchased at the facility-level to cover emissions. Additionally, border adjustment mechanisms (e.g., CBAM) could impact costs, as the Company's products pass between jurisdictions that have carbon pricing.
What is Corteva doing about it?
By updating our business strategies and exploring strategies to enhance energy efficiency and invest in renewable energy sources, we can help mitigate financial impacts by reducing overall carbon footprint. We have also developed an internal carbon pricing mechanism based on external market data, projected carbon trajectories, and industry benchmarks; in its first year of implementation, the mechanism is being used to establish a baseline and monitor its effectiveness in driving climate initiatives.
Material transition opportunities
Opportunity type & primary climate-related opportunity driver
Market demand
Where in the value chain does the opportunity driver occur?
Downstream
What is the opportunity?
Growth in demand for seed-based biofuels: the growing demand for biofuels, including sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), and renewable diesel, presents an opportunity for Corteva to supply agricultural crops for these markets. Favorable regulations and the need for emission reductions create conditions for increased demand for seed products used in biofuel production.
Impact on Corteva
We are deploying our technology to develop lower-carbon intensity feedstocks to help meet the global demand for next-generation biofuel, which is expected to increase eight-fold by 2050.
What is Corteva doing about it?
Our innovations, both in market and in development, include crops optimized for biofuel production such as double-cropping winter canola, and annual crops like corn and soy. These innovations are supported by strategic partnerships with grain companies, energy companies, research institutions, and government agencies to expand next-generation biofuel solutions, and address challenges such as emissions reduction and energy security. Additionally, in 2024, we announced a memorandum of understanding for a planned joint venture with bp in the Americas and Europe to supply biofuel feedstocks for sustainable aviation fuel, which was launched in early 2026.
Opportunity type & primary climate-related opportunity driver
Products & services, market demand
Where in the value chain does the opportunity driver occur?
Downstream
What is the opportunity?
Development of more climate-resilient seed products: we have the opportunity to enhance sales through R&D and innovation focused on more sustainable, more climate-resilient seed products. By leveraging technologies such as gene editing to address regional climate challenges, we can deliver traits that improve disease resistance, increase yield potential, and can help reduce emissions. This approach also aligns with stakeholder demand for advanced seed technologies that support more climate resilience.
Impact on Corteva
We are investing heavily in innovative products and solutions that help farmers adapt to climate change while reducing GHG emissions. We are already a leader in climate-resilient seeds that withstand extreme weather and pest pressures, as well as precision agriculture technologies that optimize resource use.
What is Corteva doing about it?
Our innovations already in-market, and continuing to be developed, include new seed varieties tolerant to drought and increasing pest pressures, developed through advanced breeding and biotechnology. We are also exploring approaches to carbon sequestration in agricultural soils, creating potential new revenue streams for farmers while supporting climate mitigation.
Opportunity type & primary climate-related opportunity driver
Products & services, market demand
Where in the value chain does the opportunity driver occur?
Downstream
What is the opportunity?
Development of more climate-resilient crop protection solutions: there is a significant opportunity to increase sales through new more sustainable crop protection products. With the influence of climate change on pest and disease dynamics, products that protect crops while reducing emissions could meet market demands under varying climate scenarios, offering a competitive edge.
Impact on Corteva
We recognize that climate-related changes are driving shifts in weather patterns, leading to more frequent and severe weather events such as droughts, floods, and heatwaves. These changes present significant challenges for farmers, who are the Company’s primary customers. We are investing significantly in the development of innovative products and solutions that could help farm operations adapt and become more resilient to these challenges.
What is Corteva doing about it?
Our innovations already in-market, and continuing to be developed, include synthetic crop protection products, biologicals and biostimulants that improve nutrient efficiency, enhance soil health, and increase plant tolerance to stress factors such as drought, heat, and disease.