This Non-technical Summary (15 pages),highlights main insights into the project results and states key take-aways for policy-makers.

It compares several frameworks, such as ISO 14040, Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), and GHG Protocol, finding both commonalities and critical differences in areas like biogenic carbon accounting and recycling assessment. The study identifies significant methodological flexibility in existing frameworks, leading to inconsistencies in LCA results and challenges in standardisation. Key issues include differing treatment of carbon capture and utilisation (CCU), direct air capture (DAC), and allocation of environmental burdens in multifunctional processes. Policy recommendations emphasise the need for harmonisation, improved biogenic carbon accounting, and clear guidance on emerging technologies like DAC and mass balance attribution. Overall, the study calls for refining LCA methodologies to ensure fair comparison between renewable and fossil-based carbon solutions.

This report is the third report of a larger RCI project on LCA methodology, which includes two additional publications:

Report 1 of 3 – Renewable Carbon in LCA Guidelines
Report 2 of 3 – Renewable Carbon in Recycling Situations

Please find these additional reports by following the respective links at the bottom of this page.

DOI No.: https://doi.org/10.52548/ZEKY1803

Renewable Carbon in LCA Guidelines (146 pages) evaluates methodological choices which impact LCAs for products containing renewable carbon in existing LCA frameworks and guidelines. The study specifically examines the similarities and differences in the methodological choices of guidelines, as well as the implications of these methodological aspects on the resulting LCA outcomes.The frameworks were selected based on their relevance and legitimacy in the industry, academia and policy field, and include: ISO 14040/44, ISO 14067, GHG Protocol Product Standard, PACT’s Pathfinder Framework, the PCF Guideline for the chemical industry by Together for Sustainability (TfS), EPD for the construction industry – ISO 14025 and EN 15804, the Renewable Energy Directive, the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) and the JRC’s plastics LCA methodology. One field with a particularly large methodological freedom is recycling.

This report is the first report of a larger RCI project on LCA methodology, which includes two additional publications:

Report 2 of 3 – Renewable Carbon in Recycling Situations
Report 3 of 3 – Non-technical Summary

Please find these additional reports by following the respective links at the bottom of this page.

DOI No.: https://doi.org/10.52548/VCYM7822