LCA, PCF and PEF: Differences Explained Simply
Laws and regulations
LCA, PCF, and PEF are related methods but differ in scope and standardization. An LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) evaluates the environmental impacts of products or services over their entire life cycle, a PCF (Product Carbon Footprint) focuses solely on the greenhouse gas emissions of a product, and PEF (Product Environmental Footprint) is an EU methodology that more strongly standardizes LCA principles to make results more comparable.
What do PCF, LCA, and PEF have in common?
All three approaches think in life cycles – from raw materials to end-of-life – and require the same basic decisions. These include: goal and application case, functional unit (what is being compared?), system boundaries (e.g. cradle-to-gate vs. cradle-to-grave), data quality, allocation rules, and assumptions. These definitions determine whether results are robust and comparable at all. This logic corresponds to the LCA framework according to ISO 14040/14044, upon which both PCF (ISO 14067) and PEF are based.
What is an LCA (Life Cycle Assessment)?
A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is the comprehensive method for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product over its entire life cycle. Unlike the PCF (Product Carbon Footprint), the LCA considers not only climate impact but multiple categories of environmental impact simultaneously (including climate change, ozone depletion, toxicities, fine particulate matter, ionizing radiation, acidification, various types of eutrophication, land/water use, and resource consumption). The life cycle ranges from raw material extraction, through production, transportation, and use, to disposal or recycling. The phases included depend on the defined system boundaries (e.g. Cradle-to-Gate or Cradle-to-Grave). The basis is the standards ISO 14040 and ISO 14044.
Methodologically, an LCA covers four steps:
Definition of goal, functional unit, and system boundaries
Collection of all material and energy flows (inventory analysis)
Assessment in environmental impact categories
Interpretation and derivation of improvements
What is a PCF (Product Carbon Footprint)?
The Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) measures the total greenhouse gas emissions of a product over its life cycle. In contrast to the LCA, the PCF focuses exclusively on one impact category: the greenhouse potential (Global Warming Potential, GWP). The result is presented in CO₂ equivalents (CO₂e). As with the LCA, the relevant life stages are also considered in the PCF – from raw material extraction through manufacturing and transport to use and disposal. Which sections are actually included depends on the defined system boundaries (e.g. Cradle-to-Gate or Cradle-to-Grave). The methodological basis is the ISO 14067 standard, which builds on the general LCA standards ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. In practice, the PCF is often used as an entry point into product-related environmental assessment. It allows companies to identify emission hotspots along the value chain, make Scope-3 emissions more transparent, and derive targeted decarbonization measures.
What is a PEF (Product Environmental Footprint)?
The Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) is a methodology developed by the European Commission for assessing the environmental impacts of products over their entire life cycle. Structurally, the PEF is based on the principles of LCA, but aims to standardize and harmonize the calculation and comparability within the EU more strongly.
Like an LCA, the PEF also considers multiple environmental impact categories – in the EU context, usually a fixed set of up to 16 impact categories, including climate change, acidification, eutrophication, fine particulate matter formation, resource use, and land use. Unlike traditional LCAs, however, key modeling decisions are not freely selectable but are more clearly defined by the methodology and product-specific rules.
A central role is played by the so-called PEF Category Rules (PEFCRs). These mandatorily define for certain product groups which system boundaries, data requirements, assumptions, and impact categories are to be applied. The goal is to make the often very differently conducted LCAs more comparable and to create a consistent basis for environmental information in the EU internal market.
How do PCF, LCA, and PEF differ?
The core difference lies in scope (one category vs. many) and regulatory stringency (more flexible LCA vs. stricter EU regulation).
Criterion | PCF | LCA | PEF |
Primary Purpose | Climate impact (CO₂e) | Comprehensive environmental assessment | Harmonized EU LCA framework |
Scope | 1 impact category | multiple categories (method-dependent) | usually a set of defined EF/PEF categories |
Standard/Reference | ISO 14067 | ISO 14040/14044 | EU-PEF + PEFCR rules |
Comparability | medium (strongly dependent on assumptions) | varies (strongly dependent on assumptions) | higher (due to PEFCR specification) |
What are EPD and DPP?
EPD and DPP are not independent assessment methods like PCF, LCA, or PEF – they serve for the structured provision and communication of environmental information.
An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a type III environmental declaration according to ISO 14025. It publishes the results of an underlying LCA in a standardized and usually externally verified format. EPDs are primarily used today in the B2B sector, such as in tenders, construction, or public procurement. In addition to environmental indicators (e.g. from LCA or PCF), they can contain additional product-relevant information such as technical specifications, scenarios for use and disposal, or information on recyclability. The basis for their preparation is provided by so-called Product Category Rules (PCR) that define what content must be reported.
The Digital Product Passport (DPP), on the other hand, is a digital information system under the EU Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR). Its purpose is to provide product-related data on sustainability, circularity, and regulatory compliance in a digital and machine-readable format. A DPP can integrate data from PCF, LCA, or PEF calculations and also prospectively digitally represent the contents of traditional EPDs. It is thus less a reporting document and more a digital infrastructure for transparent and comparable product information in the EU market.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between LCA and PCF?
The difference between LCA and PCF lies in the scope of environmental assessment. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) according to ISO 14040/14044 analyzes several environmental impacts over the entire life cycle of a product, including climate change, acidification, or resource consumption. The Product Carbon Footprint (PCF), on the other hand, considers only the greenhouse gas emissions of a product according to ISO 14067, thereby focusing solely on climate impact.
Is the PEF method mandatory in the EU?
The Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) method is currently not generally mandatory but is promoted by the European Commission as a harmonized assessment method. In the context of regulatory initiatives such as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), PEF may become mandatory for certain product groups in the future. The EU aims to make environmental information more comparable and transparent.
What is the difference between PEF and PCF?
The difference between PEF and PCF lies in the assessment scope and regulatory context. The PCF measures only the greenhouse gas emissions of a product according to ISO 14067. The PEF method of the EU Commission, on the other hand, assesses multiple environmental categories, including climate change, water consumption, and resource scarcity, based on a standardized LCA methodology. PEF particularly aims for comparable environmental information across Europe.
How is the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) calculated?
The Product Carbon Footprint is calculated by capturing all relevant greenhouse gas emissions along the product life cycle and converting them into CO₂ equivalents. The basis is usually ISO 14067. First, system boundaries are defined (e.g. cradle-to-gate or cradle-to-grave), then activity data is collected and multiplied by emission factors. The result is the total climate impact of a product in kg CO₂e.
What is the Digital Product Pass (DPP)?
The Digital Product Pass (DPP) is a digital information system introduced under the EU Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR). It is intended to provide structured data on sustainability, material composition, reparability, and environmental impacts of a product. The goal is to increase transparency along the supply chain and promote a circular economy. Environmental indicators such as PCF or PEF may be part of the DPP.
