Carbon footprint vs life cycle assessment (LCA): what's the difference?
A life cycle assessment (LCA) and a product carbon footprint use the same way of looking at a product: across its whole life, stage by stage. The difference is what they measure. An LCA looks at many environmental impacts; a carbon footprint looks only at climate change.
5 min read · Updated
Same method, different scope
Both follow the life cycle approach set out in ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. A life cycle assessment reports a set of impact categories: climate change, but also water use, land use, eutrophication, toxicity and resource depletion. A carbon footprint, quantified under ISO 14067, reports one: greenhouse gas emissions in kg CO₂e.
When a carbon footprint is enough
- Your customer asks for product-level greenhouse gas data for their Scope 3 reporting.
- You want to find the biggest sources of emissions in your product and cut them.
- You need a figure in a PACT data file for a buyer's system.
When you need a full LCA
- You plan to compare your product with another one in public, which needs a full study and an independent critical review.
- Another impact matters as much as climate: water for cotton, for example.
- A product rule asks for a specific method, such as the EU's Product Environmental Footprint for some product groups.
Why a lower footprint does not mean a lower impact overall
A footprint can fall while another impact rises. A switch that saves energy may use more water; a lighter material may be harder to recycle. That is why our reports state that they cover climate change only, and why a carbon footprint should never be presented as a full picture of a product's environmental impact.
Cost and time
A consultant-led LCA typically takes weeks and costs thousands. A carbon footprint built from your materials and energy data can be produced in minutes with a tool, which makes it practical for a whole catalogue. Upload your product list to see first figures for every product.
Questions
Is a carbon footprint a type of LCA?
It is a single-impact study that uses LCA methods. ISO 14067 builds on the LCA standards ISO 14040 and 14044.
Do buyers want an LCA or a carbon footprint?
Most supplier requests today are for product carbon footprints, often in PACT format.
Can a carbon footprint be used for public claims?
Only with care: comparisons between products need a full method and an independent critical review.