Consumption footprint and domestic footprint monitoring report 2024 : updates in methodology, data and policy uses

The European Commission Joint Research Centre developed a framework including the Consumption Footprint (CF) and the Domestic Footprint (DF) models, which have become established as a means for monitoring progress of EU environmental performance. These models are based on life cycle assessment (LCA) principles, and employ the Environmental Footprint (EF) method to produce a set of 16 indicators (available also as single weighted score) to assess the environmental impacts of EU production and consumption, and can be compared with the planetary boundaries. This report presents the latest methodological updates and results of these models in the context of monitoring EU performance. The DF combines official statistics and modelled data regarding resource extraction and emissions to the environment within the EU territory from the year 2000 to 2022. The CF is a full bottom-up LCA model making use of 164 representative products and official statistics for 2010-2022 to assess the environmental impacts (including biodiversity footprint) of five areas of consumption (food, mobility, housing, household goods, appliances), thus accounting for both production and trade. The EU CF has increased by 9% from 2010 to 2022 (as a single score), with food consumption being the primary driver of environmental impacts, followed by housing (especially for space heating) and mobility (mainly due to the use of private cars), while the EU DF decreased (-29% as a single score). These two opposite trends highlight the role of the EU-27 as a net importer of environmental impacts that occur in third countries.