The UN Environment report ‘Hotspots Analysis: An overarching methodological framework and guidance for product and sector level application’ provides useful information for those wishing to commission or carry out a hotspots analysis in a life cycle context. However, as a framework, rather than a standard, it provides a degree of flexibility to enable hotspots analysis to be used in differing circumstances.
It aims to provide a consistent approach to hotspots analysis. As an action-oriented methodology, the key outcome is to identify where the greatest opportunity for improvement against an impact occurs, rather than communicating a precisely quantified current impact. Other organisations (i.e., trade associations) may wish to offer more specific guidance on implementing hotspots analysis for their own sectors or circumstances based upon this framework. The framework aims to be equally applicable to businesses, government, as well as individual researchers and other organisations (i.e., NGOs and academic institutions).
A protocol for the appropriate use and communication of sustainability information derived from hotspots analysis is available in a companion publication: ‘Communicating hotspots: The effective use of sustainability information to drive action and improve performance’.
Click here to download the report