Accelerating the reduction of the environmental impact of humanitarian action

Explore the repository of LCA Watch the webinars

The ICRC has set a target to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2030, compared to a 2018 baseline. Together with more than 400 humanitarian organisations, ICRC has also adopted the Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organisations (1), committing to reaching a high level of environmental sustainability in their operations and abiding by the principle of « do no harm ».  

Procurement typically accounts for 40% to 60% of an organisation’s carbon footprint. For the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), 55% of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are linked to its supply chain, underscoring the critical role of procurement in achieving ambitious climate and environmental goals. 

There is also a lack of data-based impact analyses adapted to the context of humanitarian organisations – up to 50% of emission factors used in carbon footprint calculations are not suited to the specificities of the sector. (2) 

This project aims to provide accessible, practitioner-friendly insights into where climate and human health impacts arise throughout the life cycle of key products used in the humanitarian sector, and to identify the most effective levers for reducing these impacts. 

Life cycle assessments on 13 items were performed or reviewed and adapted as part of the project: Mattresses, high-thermal synthetic blankets, jerrycans, buckets, plastic floor mats, solar lamps, hygienic kits, hygienic pads, soap bars, Type I face masks, coveralls, mosquito nets, Ready-to-use-therapeutic food (RUTF). Emission factors, tailored to the specificities of humanitarian supply chains, were calculated for each product. All results are freely available for download.  

The assessments follow ISO standards and use the Environmental Footprint 3.1 indicator system, detailed in a downloadable methodology paper. The chosen impact indicators are climate impact, human health impact, and, as relevant, water and land use.  

A standalone emission factor database  – aligned with, and soon to be fully integrated into, the Humanitarian Carbon Calculator – was developed alongside a decision framework to support the selection of less impactful products by humanitarian organisations.  

The project included continuous engagement with humanitarian organisations to ensure relevance and alignment with sector needs, from initial outreach and input collection to verification of methods and results through an expert advisory group.  

The project is a first step towards developing emission and environmental impact factors adapted to the humanitarian sector and providing scientific information on the most effective decarbonisation pathways for procurement activities. This project lays the groundwork for a sector-wide, open-source emissions factor database, which the Climate Action Accelerator plans to maintain and fully integrate into the Humanitarian Carbon Calculator, subject to funding. The Climate Action Accelerator seeks to continue to perform LCAs on relevant items and extend the LCA repository further.  

• EPFL EssentialTech Center: Dr.Grégoire Castella, Dr. Cara Tobin, Ashima Rajput, Emeline Darçot
• EPFL LEURE: Dr. Sascha Nick
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): Anna Maria Liwak, Carmen Garcia Duro
• Climate Action Accelerator: Bruno Jochum, Sonja Schmid, Paolo Sévègnes
• Associated expert: Dr. Damien Friot

• EPFL: Ashima Rajput;
• ICRC: Anna Maria Liwak;
• Climate Action Accelerator: Sonja Schmid

(1) The Climate and Environment charter for humanitarian organizations. Read here.

(2) HCC and ICRC internal carbon accountability tools; Harbi, S., MagaudV., Coquerel, C., QuantisSA, Comparative LCA: Buckets versus Collapsible Jerrycans. March 2013.

Cover photo: Goran Backman/Unsplash