Regional Playbook: The 10 Most-Used Scope 3 Databases for UK, EU, US & APAC

This playbook shows which emission factor sources work best by region and how to combine them. It also explains where DitchCarbon fits to deliver accuracy from supplier-specific (primary) data across global supply bases.

The Short List (Covered Here)

• UK DESNZ/Defra, US EPA (WARM/USEEIO), DitchCarbon, ecoinvent, GLEC (Smart Freight Centre), EU EF/PEF, ADEME Base Carbone, ICAO, Sphera/GaBi, ANZ national factors (NZ MfE + AU NGA)

UK & Ireland

• Baseline factors: UK DESNZ/Defra for travel, freight, waste, upstream fuels
• Logistics: GLEC for road/air/sea/rail (activity based)
• Product LCI: ecoinvent or Sphera/GaBi; consider EF/PEF for EU customers
• Supplier specific overlay: DitchCarbon to map spend/activity to vendor/SKU factors
• Business travel/air cargo: ICAO methodology

Why this works: Auditor familiar corporate coverage, standardised logistics, product depth where needed, and supplier level action via DitchCarbon.

European Union

• Baseline factors: ADEME Base Carbone (France), EF/PEF datasets where available
• Logistics: GLEC; increasingly aligned with ISO 14083
• Product LCI: ecoinvent / Sphera/GaBi alongside EF/PEF
• Supplier specific overlay: DitchCarbon to bridge PEF asks to real suppliers/SKUs
• Business travel/air cargo: ICAO

Why this works: EU aligned footprints and PEF readiness, with LCI depth and supplier specific engagement.

United States

• Baseline factors: US EPA USEEIO (spend) and WARM (waste scenarios)
• Logistics: GLEC for common methods across carriers
• Product LCI: ecoinvent / Sphera/GaBi
• Supplier specific overlay: DitchCarbon to move from US averages to supplier reality
• Business travel/air cargo: ICAO

Why this works: Broad US coverage plus a route to actionable supplier programmes and material negotiations.

Australia & New Zealand (ANZ)

• Baseline factors: NZ MfE and Australia NGA (DCCEEW)
• Logistics: GLEC; align partners on activity data (primary data)
• Product LCI: ecoinvent / Sphera/GaBi
• Supplier specific overlay: DitchCarbon to map local spend to supplier level EFs
• Business travel/air cargo: ICAO

Why this works: Official regional factors with logistics standardisation and supplier level specificity.

Global Overlay (Works Everywhere)

• Supplier specific: DitchCarbon for vendor/SKU level Scope 3
• Logistics methodology: GLEC
• Aviation: ICAO
• Product LCI: ecoinvent or Sphera/GaBi
• Corporate coverage: National sets where you operate (Defra, EPA/USEEIO, ADEME/EF, ANZ)

Side by Side: Regional Stacks

Pros & Cons (the Same 10, Regional Lens)

DESNZ/Defra (UK)

Pros: Wide Scope 3 coverage; auditor friendly; annual updates.Cons: UK averages; not product LCI.

EPA (US: USEEIO + WARM)

Pros: Screening breadth + waste decisions; free.Cons: US centric; averages.

DitchCarbon (Global, Supplier Specific)

Pros: Vendor/SKU level factors; procurement workflows; prioritisation and measurable reduction.Cons: Commercial; needs supplier/integration depth.

ecoinvent (Global LCI)

Pros: Product/process depth; recognised by LCA practitioners.Cons: Paid; complexity.

GLEC (Global Logistics)

Pros: Methodology for all modes; aligns carriers.Cons: Needs activity data.

EF/PEF (EU)

Pros: EU aligned product footprints; supports PEF asks.Cons: Coverage varies by category.

ADEME Base Carbone (France/EU)

Pros: Public; frequently updated.Cons: Localised assumptions.

ICAO (Global Aviation)

Pros: Recognised method for flight emissions.Cons: Non CO₂ often added separately.

Sphera/GaBi (Global LCI, Commercial)

Pros: Industrial depth; strong tooling.Cons: Cost; transparency varies.

ANZ (NZ MfE + AU NGA)

Pros: Official regional factors; Scope 3 for key categories.Cons: Regional specificity.

Implementation Checklist

1. Pick your regional baseline(s): DESNZ/Defra, EPA/USEEIO, EF/ADEME, ANZ.
2. Standardise logistics: Apply GLEC and gather activity data from carriers.
3. Deepen product categories: Use ecoinvent/Sphera/GaBi (and EF/PEF in EU).
4. Make it supplier specific: Connect your spend/activity to DitchCarbon and prioritise high impact suppliers.
5. Refresh annually: Update national sets and LCI versions; grow supplier coverage.

FAQs

Do I need different databases for different regions?Yes, use national sets where you operate, then add global methods (GLEC/ICAO), LCI for product depth, and DitchCarbon for supplier specificity.

What if my carriers or suppliers won't share data?Start with recognised averages (national/LCI/method defaults) and progressively replace with supplier specific factors via DitchCarbon as data becomes available.

How do I avoid double counting between methods?Define category boundaries (e.g., freight under GLEC, materials under LCI) and document the source and version for each category in your inventory policy.

‍