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How do carbon footprints from LCA and EEIOA databases compare? A comparison of ecoinvent and EXIOBASE

Author

Listed:
  • Bernhard Steubing
  • Arjan de Koning
  • Stefano Merciai
  • Arnold Tukker

Abstract

Life cycle assessment (LCA) and environmentally extended input output analysis (EEIOA) are two widely used approaches to assess the environmental impacts of products and services with the aim of providing decision support. Here, we compare carbon footprint (CF) results for products and services in the ecoinvent 3.4 cut‐off and the hybrid version of EXIOBASE. While we find that there is good agreement for certain sectors, more than half of the matched products differ by more than a factor 2. Best fits are observed in the energy, manufacturing, and agricultural sectors, although deviations are substantial for renewable energy. Poorer fits are observed for waste treatment and mining sectors. Both databases have a limited differentiation in the service sector. Differences can, to some degree, be explained by methodological differences, such as system boundaries and approaches used to resolve multi‐functionality, and data differences. The common finding that, due to incomplete economic coverage (truncation error), LCA‐based CFs should be lower than EEIOA‐based CFs, could not be confirmed. The comparison of CFs from LCA and EEIOA databases can provide additional insights into the uncertainties of CF results, which is important knowledge when guiding decision makers. An approach that uses the coefficient of variation to identify strategic database improvement potentials is also presented and highlights several product groups that could deserve additional attention in both databases. Further strategic database improvements are crucial to reduce uncertainties and increase the robustness of decision support that the industrial ecology community can provide for the economic transformations ahead of us. This article met the requirements for a gold‐gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges.

Suggested Citation

  • Bernhard Steubing & Arjan de Koning & Stefano Merciai & Arnold Tukker, 2022. "How do carbon footprints from LCA and EEIOA databases compare? A comparison of ecoinvent and EXIOBASE," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(4), pages 1406-1422, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:26:y:2022:i:4:p:1406-1422
    DOI: 10.1111/jiec.13271
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Fu, Yuning & Yang, Honghua & Yang, Xingyuan & Arras, Maximilian & Chong, Chin Hao & Ma, Linwei & Li, Zheng, 2025. "A holistic picture of the carbon emission responsibility in China's aluminium supply chain: Production-side flow analyses, consumption-side responsibility allocation, and driving factor analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 327(C).
    3. Matthias Schlipf & Bastian Striegl & Tobias Gaugler, 2024. "Climate true‐cost analysis of industrial goods and its regulatory implications on value chains and global competition," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 28(3), pages 589-602, June.
    4. Cassandra L. Thiel & David Sheon & Daniel J. Vukelich, 2025. "Simple Steps Towards Sustainability in Healthcare: A Narrative Review of Life Cycle Assessments of Single-Use Medical Devices (SUDs) and Third-Party SUD Reprocessing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-20, June.
    5. De Nicolò, Michele & Fraccascia, Luca & Pontrandolfo, Pierpaolo, 2024. "How the energy procurement switching strategies (driven by the Russia-Ukraine conflict) impact the global sustainability? The global sustainability dashboard," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    6. Hagenaars, R.H. & Heijungs, R. & Tukker, A. & Wang, R., 2025. "Hybrid LCA for sustainable transitions: principles, applications, and prospects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    7. Golinucci, Nicolò & Tonini, Francesco & Rocco, Matteo Vincenzo & Colombo, Emanuela, 2023. "Towards BitCO2, an individual consumption-based carbon emission reduction mechanism," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    8. Enrico Mariutti, 2025. "The Limits of the Current Consensus Regarding the Carbon Footprint of Photovoltaic Modules Manufactured in China: A Review and Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-16, February.
    9. Heather Liddell & Beth Kelley & Liz Wachs & Alberta Carpenter & Joe Cresko, 2025. "A physically extended EEIO framework for material efficiency assessment in United States manufacturing supply chains," Papers 2510.15121, arXiv.org.
    10. Liu, Yiwen & Jiang, Meng & Hertwich, Edgar G., 2025. "Environmental impact of machinery and equipment: a comparison between EXIOBASE, national environmentally extended input-output models, and ecoinvent," MPRA Paper 126712, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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