The Scope 3 Standard divides the Scope 3 categories that reside upstream or downstream. These concepts are similar to an LCA. However, the intention of an LCA is not to measure upstream and downstream emissions, but to evaluate the environmental impacts of a specific product or process.
Scope 3 accounting is a narrow application of LCA. Scope 3 tracks only GHG emissions output and includes no assessment of weighting of environmental impact categories. When measuring Scope 3, information gathered in the first phase of the LCA, the LCI, the activity data that is used in the LCI would be the activity data used in the Scope 3 calculation. Multiplying activity data by emissions factors is one of the commonalities between an LCA and Scope 3 GHG accounting.
With the TNFD forming guidance on sustainability frameworks and nature impact metrics now being included in these frameworks, it is important to measure GHG as well as nature indicators at a product level. LCA data is becoming increasingly required to meet the measurement requirements of new sustainability standards and frameworks.