What you will learn?
Understand the methodological foundations and architecture of the CLEVER framework.
- Explain why CLEVER uses an attributional LCA approach and when consequential LCA is more appropriate.
- Understand key methodological elements, including goal, scope, functional unit, and reference flow.
- Understand the CLEVER system boundary and how consistent system boundaries improve comparability across fuels and transport modes.
- Understand CLEVER’s modular emission factor structure (WTT, TTW, and additional modules).
- Assess methodological choices instead of relying only on emission factor values.
- Link lifecycle methods to credible GHG reporting under ISO 14083 and CountEmissionsEU.
Why This Course Matters
This course explains the methodological foundations behind the CLEVER fuel emission factors, with a focus on lifecycle assessment (LCA) and system boundaries. It is part of the CLEVER framework, developed to address inconsistencies in how transport emissions are calculated across fuels, regions, and reporting schemes and aiming at harmonizing existing approaches / frameworks.
Today, different methodologies produce different emission factors for the same fuel, driven by varying assumptions, system boundaries, and modelling approaches. This lack of alignment limits comparability, creates uncertainty for decision-makers, and complicates compliance with emerging regulations such as ISO 14083 and CountEmissions EU (Regulation (EU) 2026/1030).
The course responds to this gap by explaining how methodologies are constructed, not just how to use their outputs. It focuses on how the overall goal of CountEmissions EU and CLEVER shape the methodology. Key settings entail an attributional LCA approach among other key scope elements, and modular system design (Well-to-Tank, Tank-to-Wheel, and additional modules). Participants will learn how these elements shape results and how to critically assess methodological choices.
This matters for practitioners who rely on emission factors to make investment, reporting, or policy decisions. Without a clear understanding of methodological foundations, results can be misinterpreted or misapplied. This training equips participants to apply harmonized approaches, improve transparency, and support credible, comparable emissions accounting across the transport sector.
Required pre-work: Participants are encouraged to complete the first virtual training
'The 'Hidden Battleground' of Fuel Emission Factors in advance.
This session is part of a broader training series running throughout 2026, focused on fuel emission factor calculation, the appropriate use of default fuel emission factors, and supporting informed decision-making in transport emissions.
