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Understanding the Climate Change Indicators GWP-total, -fossil, -biogenic and -luluc

Our CO₂ Calculator for aggregates provides four key values related to climate change, all expressed as Global Warming Potential (GWP). These values allow for the assessment of the environmental impact of aggregates based on the greenhouse gas emissions generated throughout their lifecycle.

The Three Contributions to GWP

Emissions are divided into three categories:

  • GWP Fossil: Represents CO₂ and other greenhouse gas emissions from fossil sources (e.g., combustion of fuels, electricity from fossil energy sources).
  • GWP Biogenic: Refers to CO₂ absorption and release from biomass (e.g., wood, biofuels, organic waste). Unlike fossil emissions, biogenic carbon comes from recently grown organic materials that have captured atmospheric CO₂ during their growth. This CO₂ is then released during combustion or decomposition. This indicator is generally low for aggregate production, except when biofuels or bio-based materials are used.
  • GWP luluc (Land Use and Land Use Change): Reflects the impact of land use changes on greenhouse gas emissions (e.g., deforestation, conversion of agricultural land).

The Total GWP is the sum of these three contributions, providing an overview of the carbon footprint of the aggregates produced at your site.

Foreground and Background Data in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

In LCA, two types of data are distinguished:

  • Foreground data: These are specific to your site and come from your own measurements (e.g., energy consumption, amounts of raw materials used, transport distances).
  • Background data: These represent the impacts of upstream and downstream processes of your activity and come from external databases. They are used to model the production, processing, or transport of inputs and consumed energy.

Where do the Fossil, Biogenic, and Luluc values come from?

The Fossil, Biogenic, and Luluc values in your report come exclusively from background data. This information is sourced from the ecoinvent database, known for its Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. This means these values are not directly measured on your site but are calculated based on the processes related to the production and consumption of the materials and energy you use in the calculator. For a more detailed analysis, if your site has specific measured data (e.g., emissions from fuel combustion for a backup generator), this can be used as foreground data to refine the Fossil category.

What control do you have over these values?

You do not have direct control over these values for the moment, as they are calculated from generic ecoinvent data, not specific measurements from your site. However, you do have indirect control, as they depend on the processes you have chosen to model your production. For example, if you use electricity with a different energy mix, this will influence the background data and thus the final result in the CO₂ Calculator.

Note on Luluc

We do not specifically calculate the Luluc for your quarry. The Luluc we report comes from upstream processes, such as electricity generation or fuel production. For instance, if part of the electricity you consume comes from a hydroelectric plant, the ecoinvent database accounts for the land use changes associated with the dam construction. These emissions are included in your carbon footprint, even though they do not directly affect the land at your site.

Questions or optimization opportunities?

If you'd like to better understand these indicators and optimize the environmental performance of your production, feel free to contact us!