Environmental footprint (EF) impact category addressing the effects due to the presence of acidifying substances in the environment. Emissions of NOx, NH₃ and SOx lead to the release of hydrogen ions (H+) when the gases are mineralised. Protons contribute to soil and water acidification when released in areas with low buffering capacity, causing forest deterioration and acidification of lakes.
Fuente: Recomendación CE
Fuente: Recomendación CE 2021
Fuente: MITECO
Material capable of decomposing rapidly by microorganisms under natural conditions (aerobic and/or anaerobic). Most organic materials, such as food scraps and paper are biodegradable. Check: biodegradable plastic.
A plastic capable of undergoing physical or biological decomposition, so that it ultimately decomposes into carbon dioxide (CO₂), biomass and water, and which, in accordance with European packaging standards, is recoverable through composting and anaerobic digestion.
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Variability of living organisms of all kinds, including diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Fuente: IPCC. “Informe especial sobre el calentamiento global de 1,5 grados Celsius”. 2018.
Sum of greenhouse gas emissions and removals in a product, service, organisation or activity system, expressed as CO₂ equivalent and based on a life cycle assessment using the single impact category of climate change.
Fuente: ISO 14067-2019
Fuente: CDP
Calculation of the magnitude of the contribution of each input/output classified in relation to their respective environmental footprint impact categories, and aggregation of the contributions within each category.
According to the European Union’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) Program, “characterization factors” are coefficients or numerical values used to quantify the environmental impact of different impact categories such as climate change, soil acidification, eutrophication, among others. These factors enable the conversion of inputs and outputs of a system into values that reflect their contribution to specific environmental impacts. Characterization factors are crucial in life cycle analysis and environmental footprint assessment as they help translate quantitative data into meaningful results for environmental decision-making.
The Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES) aims to classify the contributions of ecosystems to human well-being obtained through living processes.
Fuente: Informes Sectoriales BEdC
Fuente: Noticias parlamento europeo
According to the European Commission, circular economy indicators are “tools that measure and quantify key aspects of the circular economy, such as resource efficiency, waste reduction, material reuse and recycling, and contribution to climate change mitigation.” These indicators provide information about the performance of an economic system in terms of its ability to close material loops and reduce dependence on finite natural resources.
They constitute a set of indicators designed by member companies of the WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development) to measure the progress of companies in their transition to a circular economy. These indicators encompass key areas such as circular product design, resource management, utilization of recycled materials, product lifespan extension, and waste reduction. The CTIs offer guidance and a measurement framework for companies to evaluate their circular performance and undertake tangible actions towards sustainability.
Fuente: Guía de la Convención sobre el Cambio Climático y el Protocolo de Kyoto
Fuente: Enlace
Fuente: Eurostat Statistics
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Fuente: PEPecopassport
Fuente: Propuesta del nuevo Reglamento de Materias Primas Fundamentales (COM/2023/260 final)
Fuente: IEA
Commercial dependence of a company on the use of natural capital.
Fuente: Reglamento Europeo sobre Diseño Ecológico de Productos Sostenibles (adaptada)
Fuente: Informes Sectoriales BEdC
Fuente: https://normative.io/insight/upstream-downstream-emissions/
Fuente: Enlace
Fuente: IHOBE
Fuente: European Union’s Environmental Action Programme
Dynamic complex of plant, animal, and microorganism communities and the inanimate environment interacting as a functional unit.
Fuente: Recomendación CE 2021
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
The European Regulation 761/2001 of the European Parliament and the Council of March 19, 2001, regulates and defines the “European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme” (EMAS). This environmental management system, internationally known as the EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme), incorporates aspects such as organizational transparency requirements (publication of the environmental statement), worker participation, and measurement of actual results.
Fuente: ISO 14064-1:2019
Fuente: ISO 14064-1:2019
Fuente: RAE
Fuente: Métodos de huella ambiental de productos y servicios. Análisis de ciclo de vida (2020)
Fuente: Entrada blog HA Grunver
Fuente: Agencia de Protección Ambiental de los Estados Unidos (EPA) (Adaptado)
Fuente: ISO 14025
Fuente: Erronka Garbia
The “European Eco-label,” also known as the EU Ecolabel, is an official certification awarded to products and services that meet high environmental standards set by the European Commission. This label certifies that the product or service has been assessed and meets strict criteria regarding its environmental impact throughout its life cycle, including aspects such as natural resource consumption, emissions of pollutants, waste management, and efficient energy use. The European Eco-label provides consumers with reliable and transparent information to make more sustainable choices and promote the selection of environmentally-friendly products.
Fuente: European Council
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Quantified performance of a product system for use as a reference unit.
Fuente: ISO 14044
Index that measures the radiative forcing of a unit mass of a specific substance accumulated over a given time horizon. It is expressed in terms of a reference substance (e.g., CO₂ equivalent units) and a specific time horizon (e.g., GWP 20, GWP 100, GWP 500, for 20, 100, and 500 years, respectively).
By combining information about radiative forcing (the energy flux caused by the emission of the substance) and the time it remains in the atmosphere, GWP allows for measuring the ability of a substance to influence changes in the global average surface-air temperature and the resulting changes in various climatic parameters and their effects, such as storm frequency and intensity, rainfall intensity, and flood frequency, among others.
Fuente: Recomendación CE 2021
Fuente: Basque Ecodesign Center
Fuente: CUADERNO DE IDEAS GRUNVER
Fuente: ACLIMA
Fuente: ISO 14064-1:2019
Fuente: Enlace
Fuente: PEPecopassport
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
A term that states that, in a low-carbon economy and society, CO₂ emissions are lower than those required to stabilise CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere in the long term.
Fuente: Informes Sectoriales BEdC
Negative or positive effect of commercial activity on natural capital.
Fuente: Programa de Evaluación del Ciclo de Vida (PEF) de la Unión Europea
Fuente: Agencia Europea de Medio Ambiente (European Environment Agency, EEA)
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Fuente: Informes Sectoriales BEdC
Fuente: Informes Sectoriales BEdC
Fuente: Recomendación CE 2021
Fuente: ISO 14040:2006
Fuente: ipcc.ch
Fuente: https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:14044:ed-1:v1:es (adaptado)
The ISO 14044 standard is an international standard that provides more detailed and specific guidelines than ISO 14040 for conducting a comprehensive and consistent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), including technical procedures and guidelines for each stage of the study.
The ISO 14064 standard is a set of international standards that provide guidelines for the measurement, quantification, and verification of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and emission reductions. These standards focus on the design and development of GHG inventories, as well as the validation and verification of GHG reports.
The ISO 14067 standard provides requirements and guidelines for the quantification and communication of the carbon footprint of a specific product, enabling transparent assessment and communication of the impacts of GHG emissions associated with that product.
Fuente: ISO (adaptado)
Fuente: Métodos de huella ambiental de productos y servicios. Análisis de ciclo de vida (2020)
Fuente: ISO 14044
Fuente: Métodos de huella ambiental de productos y servicios. Análisis de ciclo de vida (2020)
Fuente: Natural Capital Protocol – Natural Capital Coalition
Fuente: https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/natural-capital-accounting_en
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “Net Zero” refers to the situation in which anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are significantly reduced, and any remaining emissions are offset through tangible reduction and compensation actions.
The priority is to eliminate or reduce emissions to the greatest extent possible, and only then turn to compensation to address unavoidable emissions.
Fuente: Forética
It refers to approaches, practices, or technologies that are oriented towards a more sustainable future, such as innovative solutions that go beyond previous generations in terms of efficiency, reduction of environmental impacts, and promotion of social equity. These initiatives can be related to renewable energies, energy efficiency, circular economy, sustainable mobility, regenerative agriculture, eco-efficient design, among other aspects.
Fuente: De la ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Actions or investments undertaken by a company to balance the emissions that could not be reduced in a given sector by capturing or avoiding the same amount of CO₂ outside the value chain.
Fuente: Forética
Fuente: ISO 14072
Fuente: Recomendación CE 2021
Fuente: ISO 14040:2006
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Fuente: United Nations of Climate Change
Fuente: European Environment Agency
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Fuente: PEPecopassport
Product category rules are standards on which life cycle analyses for environmental product declarations are based as they ensure consistent criteria for a family of products with equivalent functions. They are published as a technical standard or by a recognised programme and are applicable for product families with equivalent functions.
Fuente: Informes Sectoriales BEdC
Fuente: Recomendación CE
The Race to Zero Campaing is a global coalition of governments, businesses, cities, and civil society organizations working together to address climate change. Its goal is to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by mid-century, which means reducing greenhouse gas emissions to minimum levels and offsetting any remaining emissions through actions that remove or reduce an equivalent amount of emissions. This initiative aims to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, decarbonized global economy.”
Fuente: Propuesta del nuevo Reglamento de Materias Primas Fundamentales (COM/2023/260 final)
Fuente: La definición de «reciclabilidad» ocupa un lugar central en el proyecto de ley de envases de la UE. Aclima (enlace)
Fuente: Guía práctica de tecnologías para el proceso de remanufactura, Ihobe (2018)
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Fuente: Guía práctica de tecnologías para el proceso de remanufactura, Ihobe (2018)
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Fuente: Informes Sectoriales BEdC
Fuente: SBTi
The Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) is a global collaboration among leading environmental sustainability organizations such as CDP (formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project), the United Nations Global Compact, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Resources Institute (WRI). Its primary aim is to assist companies in establishing greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals that are grounded in scientific evidence.
These science-based objectives are critical in the fight against climate change, as they arise from the need to keep global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, as stipulated in the Paris Agreement. SBTi provides guidelines and tools that enable companies to define specific and ambitious emission reduction targets that align with current climate science and make a substantial contribution to climate change mitigation. These goals are independently assessed and approved to ensure their rigor and credibility, helping companies align their sustainability strategies with global climate imperatives.
When referring to the carbon footprint (CF) of an organization and the emitting sources analyzed in its calculation, the term scope is commonly used, classified according to the methodology of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) into scopes 1, 2, and 3:
Scope 1: Includes all direct GHG emissions from the organization. For example, emissions from combustion in boilers, furnaces, vehicles, etc., that are owned by or under the control of the entity in question.
Scope 2: Encompasses indirect GHG emissions associated with the generation of purchased electricity consumed by the organization.
Scope 3: Refers to other indirect emissions not covered by scopes 1 and 2, related to external activities of the organization. This may include the extraction and production of materials acquired by the organization, business travel, or the transportation of raw materials, fuels, and products. The GHG Protocol further divides scope 3 emissions into upstream and downstream emissions, classifying them into 15 different categories.
Fuente: PEPecopassport
Fuente: Informes Sectoriales BEdC
Process of creating environmental awareness with the objective of achieving a change in behavior towards more sustainable practices and reflecting on the consequences of our actions on the environment.
Fuente: Recomendación CE 2021
Fuente: Informes Sectoriales BEdC
Fuente: Prè Sustainability
Fuente: Recomendación CE 2021
Fuente: Adaptado de la Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Fuente: Guidelines for Social Life Cycle Assessment of products and organizations 2020. Life Cycle Initiative.
Fuente: Propuesta del nuevo Reglamento de Materias Primas Fundamentales (COM/2023/260 final)
In the supply chain, the term “suppliers” refers to two agents “upstream” of the producer: raw material manufacturers and suppliers.
Fuente: Publicación “Comprometidos con la tracción ambiental en la cadena de suministro” Ihobe
Fuente: Publicación “Comprometidos con la tracción ambiental en la cadena de suministro” Ihobe
Fuente: Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Medio Ambiente.
Fuente: Recomendaciones CE
Set of unit processes with elemental flows and product flows, performing one or more defined functions, and serving as a model for the life cycle of a product.
Fuente: Recomendación CE 2021
Fuente: Guía metodológica para la aplicación de la huella ambiental corporativa del BEdC (2021)
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Fuente: Publicación “Comprometidos con la tracción ambiental en la cadena de suministro” Ihobe
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Fuente: Informes Sectoriales BEdC
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Fuente: Ley 7/2022, de 8 de abril, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular.
Fuente: ISO 14046