Trade and Environment Briefings: Product Carbon Footprint Standards - Policy Briefing

This policy brief examines product carbon footprint standards and their increasing use in measuring and communicating greenhouse gas emissions across the full life cycle of products. It describes international, public, and private approaches to carbon accounting and labelling, particularly within the agri-food sector. The document outlines opportunities for exporters, including emissions reduction, cost savings, market differentiation, and improved environmental performance. It also discusses key challenges, such as methodological differences, data quality concerns, limited representation of developing countries in standard-setting, and the technical and financial burdens faced by small and medium-sized enterprises in meeting emerging market requirements.