Towards certified carbon footprints of products - a road map for data production - Climate Bonus project report (WP3) (original) (raw)
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Outline of the Finnish system of certified carbon footprints of food products
The basic structure of a system called Certified Footprints of Products (CFP system) is outlined in this discussion paper. The CFP system could produce strict and reliable data needed for generating product-oriented carbon footprints in Finland. Central parts of the CFP system are a national CFP programme, product category rules (PCRs), a chain or actor-wise monitoring plan, validation of the monitoring plan, and reporting and verification of data, and an ICT-system to support data sharing. The system is designed around activity-based monitoring data, and every actor would be responsible for data on its own activities. Linkages to existing environmental management systems are taken into account. The CFP system is still just a theoretical structure. It needs further development prior to full-scale introduction. For the food sector, a new architecture for data acquisition and quality assurance, development of existing mechanisms and consolidation of them in the CFP system are needed. Additional research is needed regarding emissions from agricultural production.
Scientific Data
Product carbon footprints (PCFs) are playing an increasing role in decisions around sustainability for companies and consumers. Using data reported to CDP, we have previously built a dataset of 866 PCFs, from 145 companies, 30 industry groups, and 28 countries, showing trends of how upstream and downstream emissions vary by industry and how life cycle assessment (LCA) appears to aid companies in achieving steeper carbon reductions through improvements throughout a product’s value chain. Here, we present the greenhouse gas emissions and respective meta data for every product in this dataset. The Carbon Catalogue provides each product with name and description, PCF (in kg CO2e) and the respective LCA protocol/standard, product weight, as well as the name, industry, and country of incorporation of its manufacturer. For a subset of 421 products, the Carbon Catalogue further includes the PCF’s reported breakdown into two to nine separate stages of the product’s life cycle. For another su...
Carbonfeel Project: Calculation, Verification, Certification and Labeling of the Carbon Footprint
Low Carbon Economy, 2014
Carbonfeel is a collaborative initiative focused on providing methodological and technological solutions to the processes of calculation, verification, certification and labeling of the Carbon Footprint (CF). Any and all organizations from different sectors of activity, business associations, Public Administrations, certifying agencies, environmental consultancies, non-governmental organizations, foundations, universities, etc. that are committed to combating climate change and believe that responsible business is possible, are invited to participate. The project advances the creation of the first network of Carbon Footprint knowledge intended for the consolidation of products and/or services databases, by using primary data. That is what was called Green Coin: "every product has its own environmental price, a price not derived from a database more or less reliable". The setting-up of a feedback system which organizes stores and shares these raw data is pioneering and innovative. Also, massive eco-labeling is possible due to a mixed organization-andproduct approach to the CF calculation (MC3 methodology), with no need for the active participation of all actors in the value chain. Finally, a number of complementary actions within the project, such as its feedback, assemblage, proposal of Recommended Load Allowances and implementation of a new metadata management system, are compiled and explained, showing why Carbon feel is already becoming an outstanding eco-project.
Criteria for a transparent assessment of carbon footprints in the food supply chain
2011
Our daily consumption patterns have a major influence on climate change. Several European initiatives use CO2-labels for products to provide guidance for climate friendly consumption decisions. Different methodological details affect the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2-e) being labeled. A standardized method is needed to generate comparable results. The objective of this study conducted at the Institute for Marketing and Innovation of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, was to identify the key methodological criteria for transparent assessment of the carbon footprint of food products. Expert interviews and content analyses were the methodological approach applied. Current carbon footprint standardization processes have to meet the challenge of meeting both scientific accuracy and practicability in order to enable comprehensive implementation in management practice.
Monitoring the carbon footprint of products: a methodological proposal
Journal of Cleaner Production, 2012
The management of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the product level is a key issue for many companies. The scientific community has produced numerous references which help in determining the impact that products have on climate change, but none of these models contain detailed rules that can help organizations with the monitoring and management of single-product GHG emissions over time.
Development and testing of a European Union -wide farm-level carbon calculator
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 2015
This paper represents 1 of 7 articles in the special series "LCA Case Study Symposium 2013," which was generated from the 19th SETAC LCA Case Study Symposium "LCA in market research and policy: Harmonization beyond standardization," held in November 2013, in Rome, Italy. This collection of invited articles reflect the purpose of the symposium and focus on how LCA can support the decision-making process at all levels, that is, industry and policy contexts, and how LCA results can be efficiently communicated and be used to support market strategies.
Challenges and requirements of exchanging Product Carbon Footprint information in the supply chain
E3S Web of Conferences
The reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is of high importance to society. Companies therefore have an increasing interest in understanding and reducing the GHG emissions of their supply chains and to generate data to track and prove this, for example by calculating product carbon footprints (PCFs). Besides serious gaps in PCF data within companies and in LCA databases, there is still missing experience and knowledge on how to consistently prepare and exchange these data. Based on our experience as LCA practitioners in the industry, we discuss the key challenges and requirements such as data formats, data quality, confidentiality concerns and comparability issues of PCF data. Aiming to contribute practical recommendations to ongoing initiatives working to enable PCF-exchange along value chains, we scope approaches that match industry requirements.
2010
Purpose Carbon footprints (CF) provide companies, customers and other agents with information related to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the lifecycle of products, identifying key points in the supply chain, potential risks and opportunities of improvement. This paper briefly examines how the method composed of financial statements (MC3) 1 approaches to specific requirements related to the assessment of product GHG emissions, pointing out the contribution of this method to assessing and communicating the carbon footprint of products.