CLEPA and OICA (the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers) have jointly developed Industry Guidelines for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of passenger cars and automotive parts. The guidelines aim to establish a common understanding of automotive LCA and provide practical advice on its application.
By offering a shared basis for industry stakeholders, the guidelines seek to support dialogue between industry, public authorities and other relevant stakeholders on how automotive carbon footprints are calculated and interpreted.
Reflecting current industry knowledge and experience, the guidelines will evolve alongside developments in methodologies, data availability and best practices. Automotive LCA is a complex process that relies on up-to-date methodologies, assumptions and data from multiple stakeholders across global supply chains. As experience with their application grows, the guidelines may therefore be updated and refined.
The paper also highlights the growing global adoption of automotive LCA and the need for greater international alignment in carbon footprint calculation methods and life cycle inventory databases. In this context, CLEPA recognises the work of the United Nations under the ITC Strategy on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Inland Transports, which includes the aspirational goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from inland transport by 2050.
