The ISO 14067 LCA phase for evaluating inventory and impact findings against the study goal and scope.
Life cycle interpretation evaluates inventory and impact-assessment findings against the study goal and scope. It is not a new measurement phase; it is the step that explains limitations, sensitivity, and defensible conclusions.
This page follows ISO 14067:2018. Interpretation should connect results to assumptions, uncertainty, completeness, and sensitivity checks before claims are made from the study.
ISO 14067:2018 - Greenhouse gases — Carbon footprint of products
phase of life cycle assessment (3.1.4.3) in which the findings of either the life cycle inventory analysis (3.1.4.4) or the life cycle impact assessment (3.1.4.5), or both, are evaluated in relation to the defined goal and scope in order to reach conclusions and recommendations
Reference: 3.1.4.6
This term originates in ISO 14067:2018 and/or ISO 14044 LCA methodology. It is used in EU product regulation — particularly under the EU Battery Regulation (PEF method for carbon footprint) and ESPR (environmental footprint) — because both regulations require lifecycle-based quantification of environmental impacts. Practitioners applying these regulations should be familiar with these LCA/PEF concepts to correctly scope, conduct, and verify product-level environmental assessments.
Implementation records should capture the interpretation finding, limitation record, sensitivity check, conclusion boundary, study goal, scope requirement, uncertainty note, and recommendation or claim decision.
Life cycle interpretation is a conclusion-boundary control: the evidence consequence is that footprint findings can be turned into defensible claims only after limitations, uncertainty, and sensitivity have been reviewed.