by Dilan Sarac | 23 May 2024 | Insights
They say last but not least… We know you will enjoy this conclusion to our 5-part series guiding you through Environmental Indicators relevant to a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology (find Part One to Four of our Series starting here).
The Ecopoint represents the total potential environmental load of a product or solution: it is a cumulative, more holistic value that includes the impacts on human health, the ecosystem and resource diversity. The single numerical score of Ecopoint represents the overall impact of a product or solution, and is an aggregated result of the 10 previous indicators discussed until now. This score can be interpreted as a measure of sustainability performance, where lower scores indicate lower environmental impact.
Therefore, the Ecopoint allows us to group the nine environmental indicators in three different categories of damage: (1) Human Health, (2) Ecosystem quality and (3) Resources. This way, obtaining a single score representing the total environmental impacts during the product’s life cycle is possible.
Human Health and Ecosystem Impact
The Ecopoint index factors in the impact on human health and ecosystems, how a product’s life cycle may affect human well-being including health risks related to exposure to pollutants, and how it may impact ecosystems, including biodiversity and habitat disruption.
Resource Diversity
This takes into account the diversity and availability of natural resources, as well as the potential depletion of non-renewable resources and the consequences for future generations.
Four important factors are combined to assess a product’s environmental impact using the Ecopoint measure:
- Characterization Factors (CA): These are like scores that show how harmful a substance or emission can be for the environment.
- Damage Assessment Factors (DA): They include different types of harm, like global warming or air pollution.
- Normalization Factor (NO): This gives you a way to compare the impact to an average or reference value.
- Weighing Factor (WE): This helps decide how much importance to give to each type of harm.
The Ecopoint index is essentially a form of multi-criteria assessment that allows decision-makers to weigh different environmental and sustainability factors. It acknowledges that environmental issues are interconnected, and a single value can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the trade-offs and impacts associated with a product.
Learn more
Get in touch with us at info@waterrevolutionfoundation.org to find out more about the scientific methodology used within our programmes and how you can get involved.
by Water Revolution Foundation | 27 Mar 2024 | Insights
Authors: Awwal Idris (Environmental Expert, Water Revolution) & Nikos Avlonas (President, Center for Sustainability & Excellence)
It’s increasingly common for buyers to encounter advertisements promoting products as sustainable or eco-friendly. Such claims, often referred to as “green claims,” are being noticed in the yachting industry as well. With numerous producers, manufacturers, and suppliers eager to gain a marketing edge by labeling their products as green or sustainable, the new Green Claims Directive will influence how companies, also in the superyacht and maritime sectors, can communicate about the environmental credentials of their products or services. This new directive seeks to eliminate the deceptive practice known as greenwashing.
Addressing greenwashing with the Green Claims Directive
Greenwashing is a trend where companies deceive consumers with exaggerated or misleading environmental claims to influence their purchasing decisions. To address this issue, the European Union has introduced the Directive on Unfair Commercial Practices (Directive 2005/29/EC). This legal framework aims to safeguard consumers from deceptive green marketing tactics, and would also impact the superyacht industry in a number of ways.
Many EU member states have already integrated the provisions of the Green Claims Directive into their national laws and regulatory frameworks related to consumer protection and advertising standards. However, the extent to which these laws are enforced and the effectiveness of enforcement mechanisms can differ between countries.
How it could impact the superyacht industry
Clarity in Advertising: The directive would require that any environmental claims made by superyacht manufacturers or sellers be clear, accurate, and substantiated. This means that vague or exaggerated claims about a yacht’s environmental friendliness would be prohibited, reducing the potential for greenwashing.
Increased Accountability: Superyacht companies would need to provide evidence to support any environmental claims they make about their products. This could include data on emissions, fuel efficiency, use of sustainable materials, or any other eco-friendly features. This increased level of accountability would prevent companies from engaging in greenwashing.
Consumer Protection: The directive aims to protect consumers from being misled by false or exaggerated environmental claims. Superyacht buyers would have more confidence that the environmental benefits touted by manufacturers are genuine, leading to better informed purchasing decisions.
Reputation Management: Superyacht companies found to be engaging in greenwashing could face damage to their reputation and credibility. With increased scrutiny and regulations in place, companies would be incentivized to ensure their environmental claims are accurate to maintain trust among consumers and stakeholders.
Shift towards Genuine Sustainability: The directive could drive a shift towards genuine sustainability efforts within the superyacht industry. Companies may invest more in environmentally friendly technologies, materials, and practices to differentiate themselves in the market without resorting to greenwashing tactics.
Moving forward
Overall, the Green Claims Directive will likely have a positive impact on reducing greenwashing in the superyacht industry by promoting transparency, accountability, and genuine environmental stewardship. Third-party proofing of claimed sustainability credentials will shape the communication practices of the superyacht industry in 2024 and beyond, and all communication experts in Europe may need to attend courses in order to educate themselves on the legal risks of greenwashing.
by Dilan Sarac | 5 Mar 2024 | Insights
When we talk about footprint, do you think carbon? We tell you all about the Water Scarcity Footprint which is also used to assess a yacht’s environmental impact, in Part 4 of our Environmental Indicators series! (find Part One to Three of our Series starting here).
Water stands as one of the planet’s most precious resources, serving as an indispensable element vital for sustaining life. It plays a pivotal role in supporting human existence and maintaining biodiversity, crucial ecosystem functions, upon which we all rely. Therefore, it is imperative to measure water consumption in product manufacturing to identify processes that utilise significant amounts of water and to explore solutions for ensuring its efficient use.
The water scarcity footprint helps assess how particular water use contributes to or exacerbates water scarcity in a given area. We assess this impact by considering the quantity of water consumption and the water stress index (WSI) of the region from where the water is extracted, to determine the impact of freshwater consumption in view of its deprivation potential.
Water Stress Index for yachting
In yacht manufacturing for example, water consumption is significantly high for the extraction and production of materials. The amount of water consumed when producing yacht-building material is more than double than during the operating phase of the yacht. Further, hull construction requires water in various stages such as composite-moulding process, curing resins, and more. While these stages do not use large volumes of water individually, they become high over the course of yacht production. The water stress index can thus be an important metric in quantifying how much water is consumed and identifying hotspots where efforts to minimise water use can be implemented.
The Water Stress Index takes into account factors like available water resources, population, and industrial demand for water in that area. Of course, water resource exploitation may have a different impact depending on the extraction area.
Water scarcity impact
If the water scarcity impact is high, it indicates that your product or solution is exerting considerable strain on an already water-stressed region. Consequently, it may be prudent to explore more sustainable water sourcing or conservation measures to mitigate one’s heightened environmental damage. Conversely, if the water scarcity impact is low, it suggests that your product or solution exercises a relatively minor impact on water scarcity in that region, which can be a positive indicator of sustainability.
The indicators for WSI reflect the cumulative amount of direct and indirect emissions to help us understand how a product or solution’s water use might impact water shortages.
Learn more
Get in touch with us at info@waterrevolutionfoundation.org to find out more about the scientific methodology used within our programmes and how you can get involved. Stay tuned to hear about the remaining indicator: the EcoPoint!
by Water Revolution Foundation | 9 Feb 2024 | News
We are so pleased to welcome our new Environmental Expert, Awwal Idris, to the Water Revolution team!
With a Master’s degree in Forest & Nature Conservation, Awwal’s expertise lies in a complex understanding of ecosystems, environmental impact assessment, sustainable resource management, and solving relevant challenges by translating data into actionable insights. As a skillful sustainability analyst and researcher, he will play a crucial role as the link with specialised research institutes conducting Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and a powerful force in fostering innovation for the foundation, the yachting industry, and the world at large.
Raised among the lush landscapes of Ghana, his childhood instilled an unwavering passion for nature and a profound appreciation for its delicate balance. Grounded in a pragmatic, science-driven approach, Awwal is motivated to make a tangible impact promoting sustainability, resilience, and a healthier planet for all.
Welcome to the Revolution, Awwal!
by Dilan Sarac | 23 Dec 2023 | Insights
Welcome to part three of our series on guiding you through Environmental Indicators relevant to a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology (find Part One of our Series here: Climate Change indicators and Part Two here: impact on human health).
Emissions with direct effect on human and planet health can be released in the atmosphere via acid deposition (Nitrogen Oxides), combustion of fuels containing sulfur (Sulfur Oxides), or release of coarse particles into the air (PM10). All three indicators have an impact locally (on human health) and regionally (resulting in modification of the environment). We know too well the impacts of bad air quality on human health, and these indicators are therefore critical in our measurement of solutions on air pollution.
Let’s take a closer look:
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
NOX are a group of highly reactive gases produced by various natural and anthropogenic (human-caused) sources. They strongly affect the air quality in our immediate surroundings, leading to the formation of ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter (resulting in POP – see Part 2 here), and contributing to acid rain or deposition, ozone depletion, and eutrophication of soil and water (for more on eutrophication of oceans, read our Part 2 here).
We know that the subsequent impacts of acid deposition and eutrophication onour soil and water can be significant, having adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems in rivers and lakes, damage to forests, crops and other vegetation. Furthermore, by contributing to the formation of atmospheric aerosols and particulate matter, NOx emissions can lead to the formation of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming and affects human respiratory systems. When the environment is affected by NOx, it results in Summer smog, Winter smog, and Acidification in the environment impacted by its release.
Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is a colourless gas with a pungent odour, released into the atmosphere from both natural sources, such as volcanic eruptions, and anthropogenic (human-caused) sources emitted by the combustion of fuels containing sulphur.
Sulphur dioxide is a pollutant that contributes to acid deposition, which, in turn, can lead to potential changes in soil and water quality (eutrophication due to excessive nutrient input, as discussed above). Its effects can be counterbalanced by implementing flue gas desulfurization systems in power plants, and regulations on emissions from transportation sources. Winter smog and acidification are among the results of its presence in our atmosphere.
Particulates (PM10)
Dust from roads, farms, dry riverbeds, construction sites, and mines are types of PM10: particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less. These are coarse (bigger) particles, which can irritate your eyes, nose, and throat. While fine (smaller) particles (PM2.5) are more dangerous and penetrate into the deep parts of your lungs — or even into your blood, it is important to measure the level of PM10 into the surrounding air.
Scientists have defined that a level of PM10 below 12 μg/m3 is considered healthy with little to no risk from exposure. If the level goes to or above 35 μg/m3 during a 24-hour period, the air becomes unhealthy, causing a risk exposure for people with existing breathing issues such as asthma or lung diseases.
With deposits accumulating onto surfaces, including vegetation, soil, and water bodies, PM10 also impacts soil erosion, water quality, aquatic life cycles, and can carry contaminants into ecosystems. It can lead to winter smog.
Learn more
Get in touch with us at info@waterrevolutionfoundation.org to find out more about the scientific methodology used within our programmes and how you can get involved.
Discover the other indicators here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 4.
