Identification and Reduction of Product Carbon Footprints: Case Studies from the Austrian Automotive Supplier Industry

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities have climbed significantly above pre-pandemic levels and have reached record highs that unequivocally accelerate global warming. Industry has a significant impact on climate change, emitting at least 21% of global GHGs and making little overall progress toward its reduction until now. Reducing industry’s emissions requires coordinated action along the value chains in order to promote mitigation options, such as energy and material efficiency, circular material flows, and transformative changes within production processes. This article is the first evaluation of GHG emissions generated during the manufacturing of vehicle components by Austrian companies. For this, the authors analyzed three different products of automotive suppliers according to the methodology of ISO 14067. Despite previous efforts toward an environmentally compatible fabrication, additional and significant reduction potentials were identified. These measures for product carbon footprint (PCF) reduction included the sourcing of low-carbon materials (which are already available on the market), more extensive use of renewable energy, and changes towards more resource efficient manufacturing processes and machinery. Depending on the materials used, the PCF can be reduced by up to 80%. The findings serve to prepare for future PCF reporting regulations and illustrate reduction potentials to achieve future market advantages, especially when PCFs become an awarding criterion.