BS EN ISO 14046:2016 pdf download – Environmental management — Water footprint — Principles, requirements and guidelines
4.3 Environmental focus A water footprint assessment assesses the potential environmental impacts related to water associated with a product, process or organization. Economic or social impacts are, typically, outside the scope of the water footprint assessment. Other tools may be combined with the water footprint assessment for more extensive and complementary assessments.
4.4 Relative approach and functional unit A water footprint assessment is related to a functional unit and the result(s) calculated relative to this functional unit.
4.5 Iterative approach A water footprint assessment is an iterative technique. The individual phases of a water footprint assessment use results of the other phases. The iterative approach within and between the phases contributes to the comprehensiveness and consistency of the study and the reported results.
4.6 Transparency Sufficient and appropriate information is disclosed in order to allow users of the water footprint assessment to make decisions with reasonable confidence.
4.7 Relevance Data and methods are selected such that they are appropriate to the water footprint assessment. 4.8 Completeness All data which provide a significant contribution to the water footprint are included in the inventory.
4.9 Consistency Assumptions, methods and data are applied in the same way throughout the water footprint assessment to arrive at conclusions in accordance with the goal and scope definition.
4.10 Accuracy Bias and uncertainties are reduced as far as is practicable.
4.11 Priority of scientific approach Decisions within a water footprint assessment are preferably based on natural science. If this is not possible, other scientific approaches (e.g. from social or economic sciences) may be used or international conventions may be referred to. If neither a scientific basis exists nor a justification based on other scientific approaches or international conventions is possible, then, as appropriate, decisions may be based on value choices.
4.12 Geographical relevance The water footprint assessment is conducted at a scale and resolution (e.g. a drainage basin), which gives relevant results according to the goal and scope of the study and takes into account the local context.
4.13 Comprehensiveness
A water footprint considers all environmentally relevant attributes or aspects of natural environment,human health and resources related to water (including water availability and water degradation).NOTE A non-comprehensive assessment brings a risk of nottaking into accountthe transfer of pollution fromone impact category to another.
5Methodological framework
5.1General requirements
A water footprint assessment addresses the potential environmentalimpacts related to water associatedwith a product, process or organization.
A water footprint assessment according to this International Standard shall include the four phases oflife cycle assessment:
a) goal and scope definition (see 5.2);
b)water footprint inventory analysis (see 5.3);cwater footprint impact assessment (see 5.4);d)interpretation of the results (see 5.5).
See Figure 1.
A water footprint inventory study according to this International Standard shall include the threefollowing phases of life cycle assessment:
-goal and scope definition (see 5.2),
– water footprint inventory analysis (see 5.3), and- interpretation of the results (see 5.5).
See Figure 1.
For organizations, the additional requirements and guidelines given in Annex A shall apply.
The results of a water footprint inventory analysis may be reported, but shall not be reported as a waterfootprint.
A water footprint assessment may be performed as a stand-alone assessment or as part of a life cycleassessment.
A water footprint is the result of a comprehensive assessment which results in a profile of impactcategory indicator results. If weighting is applied, it shall be conducted and reported in accordance withISO 14044.
When performing a comprehensive assessment, it shall be demonstrated that all significant potentialenvironmental impacts related to water are addressed by the selected impact categories. Lack of datacannot be a justification for not taking into account a relevant impact category.BS EN ISO 14046 pdf download.