Greenhouse gas emissions

Labelling 

Check that there is a valid license for the product in question. This can be checked on each website: EU Ecolabel, Nordic Swan Ecolabel.

Self-declaration with calculation

If the requirement has been verified with a self-declaration and calculation, request a current calculation from the supplier.

Self-declaration verified by an accredited verification body

If a verified self-declaration is used to prove that the requirement is fulfilled, request the supplier’s self-declaration, including documentation showing that the requirement is met. The self-declaration shall be verified by a verification body accredited for the task in accordance with ISO / IEC 17029 or equivalent standard.

Note that the requirement is not appropriate to set for archival resistant paper, since it consists mostly of textile fibers and possibly a small amount of pulp.

There are currently a limited number of accredited verification bodies for ISO/IEC 17029 (Conformity assessment - General principles and requirements for validation and verification bodies) as it is a relatively new standard. This may change, especially if the demand for verifying compliance in this way increases. More information about the standard and accredited verification bodies can be found on Swedac's website.

Greenhouse gases such as water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) contribute to global warming through the natural greenhouse effect, which is essential for life on earth. According to the UN climate panel IPCC, human emissions of greenhouse gases have caused the majority of the global temperature rise that has taken place since beginning of industrialization in the mid-18th century. Anthropogenic (human) sources of emissions that contribute to global warming are carbon dioxide (combustion of fossil fuels), methane (anaerobic degradation of organic material in wetlands, rice fields, peat bogs and waste disposal sites as well as from livestock farming), nitrous oxide (spreading of manure in farming, livestock farming, industry and combustion), ozone, CFC and HCFC.

The content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased from the preindustrial level 285 ppm to 465 ppm today. In order to limit the elevation of the average temperature on earth to two degrees and thereby reducing the risk for adverse climate effects the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere must be stabilized at 400 ppm, which corresponds to emissions of 1 ton carbon dioxide per year. The average Swedish citizen emits about 6 tons per year, or 13 tons including emissions from consumption and public sector. Total domestic Swedish emissions of carbon dioxide in 2012 were almost 58 million tons. One third of the emissions were from transports (cars 19 %, trucks and buses 12 %, other domestic transports 2 %), 25 % from industrial processes and combustion, 18 % from energy industry and 13 % from farming.

The version date indicates when the sustainability criterion was created or last updated. Last reviewed dated tells when we last checked that the sustainability criterion still is relevant.

2019-10-30, Krav ID 10166:1: The criterion is changed to different levels for different paper types in accordance with EU Ecolabel.

2011-09-15, Krav ID 10166: Original version