1 Introduction
2 Methods
2.1 Comparison method
Goal | Organizational LCA (ISO/TS 14072) | Water footprint (ISO 14046) | Organizational water footprint (recommended) |
---|---|---|---|
Items to be unambiguously stated | Intended application | Intended application | Intended application |
Reason for carrying out the study | Reason for carrying out the study | Reason for carrying out the study | |
Intended audience | Intended audience | Intended audience | |
A statement that the results are not intended to be used in comparative assertions intended to be disclosed to the public | Whether the study is part of a life cycle assessment where a comparative assertion is intended | A statement that the results are not intended to be used in comparative assertions intended to be disclosed to the public | |
Whether the study is a stand-alone assessment or part of a life cycle assessment | Whether the study is a stand-alone assessment or part of a life cycle assessment |
Scope | Organizational LCA (ISO/TS 14072) | Water footprint (ISO 14046) | Organizational water footprint (recommended) |
---|---|---|---|
Organization | Organization to be studied; if the study is intended for monitoring environmental performance over time; reporting unit; the products, unit processes, facilities, and sites of the organization included in the reporting unit; the reference period considered | Reporting unit | Organization to be studied; if the study is intended for monitoring environmental performance over time; reporting unit; the products, unit processes, facilities, and sites of the organization included in the reporting unit; the reference period considered |
System boundary | System boundary | System boundary and organizational boundary | System boundary: organizational dimension and life-cycle dimension |
Exclusions of products and unit processes of the organization shall be declared | Omissions are only permitted if they do not significantly change the overall conclusions of the study, and shall be motivated | Omissions are only permitted if they do not significantly change the overall conclusions of the study, and shall be motivated | |
Temporal and geographical aspects | Temporal and geographical coverage and resolution of the study | Temporal and geographical coverage and resolution of the study | |
General aspects (items to be described) | Allocation procedures | Allocation procedures | Allocation procedures |
Data and data quality requirements | Data and data quality requirements | Data and data quality requirements | |
Assumptions, value choices, and optional elements | Assumptions, value choices, and optional elements | Assumptions, value choices, and optional elements | |
Limitations | Uncertainties and limitations | Uncertainties and limitations | |
Cutoff criteria | Cutoff criteria | Cutoff criteria | |
Interpretation to be used | Interpretation to be used | ||
Type of critical review if any | Type of critical review if any | Type of critical review if any | |
Type and format of the report required for the study | Type of reporting | Type and format of the report required for the study | |
Impact assessment (items to be described/stated) | LCIA methodology and types of impacts | Water footprint impact assessment methodology and selected impact categories | Water footprint impact assessment methodology and selected impact categories |
Whether the results of the water footprint assessment will include one impact indicator result (and specifying which one), a water footprint profile or a water footprint after weighting | Whether the results of the water footprint assessment will include one impact indicator result (and specifying which one), a water footprint profile or a water footprint after weighting | ||
Whether the water footprint assessment is comprehensive | Whether the water footprint assessment is comprehensive | ||
Which cause effect chains and potential environmental impacts are covered by the water footprint assessment and identify the foreseen consequences of excluded potential environmental impacts | Which cause effect chains and potential environmental impacts are covered by the water footprint assessment and identify the foreseen consequences of excluded potential environmental impacts | ||
Baseline conditions with which the current conditions caused by the activities are being compared if applicable | Baseline conditions with which the current conditions caused by the activities are being compared if applicable | ||
Offsetting | Water footprint results include no offsetting | Water footprint results include no offsetting |
Inventory | Organizational LCA (ISO/TS 14072) | Water footprint (ISO 14046) | Organizational water footprint (recommended) |
---|---|---|---|
Data requirements (according to the impact indicators selected) | Energy inputs, raw material inputs, ancillary inputs, other physical inputs; products, co-products and waste; releases to air, water and soil; other environmental aspects. (ISO 14044) | Quantities of water used (incl. withdrawal and release) | Quantities of water used (incl. withdrawal and release) |
Types of water resources used (incl. withdrawal and water receiving body | Types of water resources used (incl. withdrawal and water receiving body | ||
Data describing water quality (incl. water withdrawal and water receiving body) | Data describing water quality (incl. water withdrawal and water receiving body) | ||
Forms of water use | Forms of water use | ||
Changes in drainage, stream flow, groundwater flow or water evaporation that arise from land use change, land management activities and other forms of water interception, where relevant to the scope and the boundary of the study being undertaken | Changes in drainage, stream flow, groundwater flow or water evaporation that arise from land use change, land management activities and other forms of water interception, where relevant to the scope and the boundary of the study being undertaken | ||
Locations of water use | Locations of water use | ||
Seasonal changes in water flows, water withdrawal and release or changes in water quality, where relevant | Seasonal changes in water flows, water withdrawal and release or changes in water quality, where relevant | ||
Temporal aspects of water use, including, if relevant, timing of water use and length of water storage | Temporal aspects of water use, including, if relevant, timing of water use and length of water storage | ||
Emissions to air, water and soil that impact water quality | Emissions to air, water and soil that impact water quality | ||
Both absolute values and difference to a baseline for quantities of water use and emissions should be considered | Both absolute values and difference to a baseline for quantities of water use and emissions should be considered | ||
Assumptions made in the collection, validation, analysis and reporting of data shall be documented | Assumptions made in the collection, validation, analysis and reporting of data shall be documented | ||
Data quality requirements | Primary data should be collected where practicable | Primary data should be collected where practicable | |
Secondary data should only be used for inputs where the collection of primary data is not possible or practicable, and may include literature data, calculated data, estimates, model predictions or other representative data | Secondary data should only be used for inputs where the collection of primary data is not possible or practicable, and may include literature data, calculated data, estimates, model predictions or other representative data | ||
The reasons for using secondary data for significant processes shall be justified and documented | The reasons for using secondary data for significant processes shall be justified and documented | ||
The data quality requirements should address: time-related coverage, geographical coverage, technology coverage, precision, completeness, representativeness, consistency, reproducibility, sources of the data, uncertainty of the information (ISO 14044) | The data quality requirements should address: time-related coverage, geographical coverage, technology coverage, precision, completeness, representativeness, consistency, reproducibility, sources of the data, uncertainty of the information | The data quality requirements should address: time-related coverage, geographical coverage, technology coverage, precision, completeness, representativeness, consistency, reproducibility, sources of the data, uncertainty of the information | |
LCI calculations | The level of aggregation of the inputs and outputs shall be consistent with the goal of the study | The level of aggregation of the inputs and outputs shall be consistent with the goal of the study | The level of aggregation of the inputs and outputs shall be consistent with the goal of the study |
Assets such as buildings, factories, and equipments are used over a time period which could be different from the time period fixed by the LCA. The calculation methodology of LCI of these assets should take into account the time period over which they are used. | Assets such as buildings, factories, and equipments are used over a time period which could be different from the time period fixed by the LCA. The calculation methodology of LCI of these assets should take into account the time period over which they are used. | ||
All calculation procedures shall be explicitly documented and the assumptions made shall be clearly stated and explained. The same calculation procedures should be consistently applied throughout the study (ISO 14044) | All calculation procedures shall be explicitly documented and the assumptions stated and explained. The same calculation procedure should be consistently applied throughout the study | All calculation procedures shall be explicitly documented and the assumptions stated and explained. The same calculation procedure should be consistently applied throughout the study | |
Validation of data (mass or energy balances) | Validation of data (mass or energy balances) | ||
Allocation | Avoid through dividing processes into sub-processes | Avoid through: dividing processes into sub-processes, expanding the product system | Avoid through dividing processes into sub-processes |
Impact assessment | Organizational LCA (ISO/TS 14072) | Water footprint (ISO 14046) | Organizational water footprint (recommended) |
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Mandatory elements | Reference impact categories, category indicators, and characterization models | Reference impact categories, category indicators, and characterization models | |
Provide accurate and descriptive names for impact categories and category indicators | Provide accurate and descriptive names for impact categories and category indicators | ||
Consistency between impact assessment and goals and scope and appropriateness of the characterization model | Consistency between impact assessment and goals and scope and appropriateness of the characterization model | ||
A comprehensive set of environmental issues related to the organization should be considered | Impacts related to water can be represented by one or more parameters: a water footprint indicator result, related to one single impact category, or the water footprint profile which comprises several indicator results | Impacts related to water can be represented by one or more parameters: a water footprint indicator result, related to one single impact category, or the water footprint profile which comprises several indicator results | |
The category indicator can be chosen anywhere along the environmental mechanism between the LCI results and the category endpoint(s) (ISO 14044). | Category indicator(s) may be chosen anywhere along an environmental mechanism of the characterization model(s). The characterization model should be described | Category indicator(s) may be chosen anywhere along an environmental mechanism of the characterization model(s). The characterization model should be described | |
Geographical and temporal aspects should be included in characterization | Geographical and temporal aspects should be included in characterization | ||
Consider possible omissions and sources of uncertainty | Whether the quality of the LCI data and results is sufficient to conduct the LCIA in accordance with the study goal and scope definition | Whether the quality of the LCI data and results is sufficient to conduct the LCIA in accordance with the study goal and scope definition | |
Whether the system boundary and data cut-off decisions have been sufficiently reviewed to ensure the availability of LCI results necessary to calculate indicator results for the LCIA | Whether the system boundary and data cut-off decisions have been sufficiently reviewed to ensure the availability of LCI results necessary to calculate indicator results for the LCIA | ||
Whether the environmental relevance of the LCIA results is decreased due to the LCI reporting unit calculation, system wide averaging, aggregation, and allocation | Whether the environmental relevance of the LCIA results is decreased due to the LCI reporting unit calculation, system wide averaging, aggregation, and allocation |
Interpretation | Organizational LCA (ISO/TS 14072) | Water footprint (ISO 14046) | Organizational water footprint (recommended) |
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Mandatory elements | The results of the LCI or LCIA phases shall be interpreted according to the goal and scope of the study | Identification of the significant issues based on the results of the water footprint assessment | The results of the LCI or LCIA phases shall be interpreted according to the goal and scope of the study and significant issues identified |
Consider any modifications of the reporting unit, reference period, or boundaries and the appropriateness of their definition | Consider any modifications of the reporting unit, reference period, or boundaries and the appropriateness of their definition | ||
Assessment and sensitivity check of the significant inputs, outputs, and methodological choices in order to understand the uncertainty of the results | Evaluation that considers completeness, sensitivity and consistency checks | Evaluation that considers completeness, sensitivity, consistency checks and methodological choices in order to assess the uncertainty of the results | |
Limitations identified by the data quality assessment and the sensitivity analysis shall be included | Limitations of the water footprint assessment | Limitations identified by the data quality assessment and the sensitivity analysis shall be included | |
Conclusions | Conclusions | ||
Consistency check-guiding questions | Are differences in data quality along a studied system life cycle consistent with the goal and scope of the study? | Are differences in data quality along a studied system life cycle consistent with the goal and scope of the study? | |
Have regional and/or temporal differences, if any, been consistently applied? | Have regional and/or temporal differences, if any, been consistently applied? | ||
Have allocation rules and the system boundary been consistently applied to all systems? | Have allocation rules and the system boundary been consistently applied to all systems? | ||
Have the elements of impact assessment been consistently applied? | Have the elements of impact assessment been consistently applied? |
2.2 Activity prioritization method
Type of case study | Case study topic | Water consumption/scarcity related hotspots | Related activity according to Fig. 2 | Macroeconomic/sectoral relevance of the hotspot | |
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Organizational LCA | Banco de México (UN Environment 2017) | Production and transformation of raw materials | Agricultural products, purchased goods and materials | Indirect upstream | High for agricultural products (Flörke et al. 2013) |
Organizational LCA | Thanakorn Vegetable Oil Products (UN Environment 2017) | Production of raw materials | Agricultural products | Indirect upstream | High for agricultural products (Flörke et al. 2013) |
Organizational LCA | Faculty of Science and Technology (UN Environment 2017) | Indirect upstream activities: purchased materials, electricity generation, transport | Indirect upstream activities | Indirect upstream | High relative relevance of upstream activities incl. electricity generation for the service sector; high macroeconomic relevance of electricity generation for overall water consumption (Holland et al. 2015) |
Organizational LCA | San Benedetto (Manzardo et al. 2016) | Packaging production, core processes | Direct activities, purchased goods and materials | Direct activities, indirect upstream activities | Core production and purchased materials relevant for light manufacturing |
Organizational LCA | Special purpose entity for tourist village (Manzardo et al. 2018a) | Use phase | Use phase | Indirect upstream activities | Household water consumption relevant in the building sector/tourism sector (see Flörke 2013 for domestic water consumption) |
Organizational LCA | Natura (de Camargo et al. 2019) | Use phase | Use phase | Indirect downstream | High relevance if (heated) water is needed in the use phase (household water consumption, water for energy generation) |
Organizational approach | Unilever (Martínez-Blanco et al. 2016) | Use phase of personal care, household care and laundry products | Use phase | Indirect downstream | High relevance if (heated) water is needed in the use phase (household water consumption, water for energy generation) |
Organizational approach | Accor (Martínez-Blanco et al. 2016) | Direct water consumption, food services | Use phase, food-related activities | Indirect upstream, direct | Food-related services relevant since related to agricultural products (Flörke et al. 2013) |
Technological product | Flow regulators (Berger et al. 2017) | Plastics, metals | Metal extraction, purchased goods and materials | Indirect upstream | Purchased materials relevant in manufacturing, high water consumption for metals though limited mass |
Technological product | European cars (Berger et al. 2012) | Polymers, steel and iron, special metals | Metal extraction, purchased goods and materials | Indirect upstream | Metal relevant contributors for technological products |