Today we are living in ‘times of global crisis’, from climate change, which intensifies extreme events and puts ecosystems at risk, to the pandemic, which has exposed the interconnected vulnerability of health and economic systems, to war. Within this scenario, sustainability, understood as a balance between its environmental, social and economic dimensions, can no longer be an option, but must be a prerequisite for states, industries and societies.
Europe is seeking to take steps forward with the goal of creating a single sustainability market, moving from voluntary initiatives to binding regulations such as Ecodesign, CBAM and ETS. However, the current situation is exposed to the risk of regulatory fragmentation and the proliferation of different methods and standards. The intention is to arrive at a coherent, reliable and comparable system, as demonstrated by the recent idea of developing an integrated, AI-supported European database that could revolutionize the monitoring of environmental footprints.
Harmonization, however, must avoid falling into the one-size-fits-all trap, while preserving flexibility for different value chains. The Life Cycle Management Conference 2025, recently held in Palermo, placed the evolution of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Footprint (EF) methods within EU policies under the spotlight, outlining the future path toward more cohesive and ambitious regulation.
The focus of this article is on a specific dimension of product environmental assessment: the measurement of impact on climate change, technically defined as the “carbon footprint.” This assessment is governed by international standards ISO 14067 (for products) and ISO 14064 (for organizations).
Despite the existence of standards that formalize calculation procedures, a degree of discretion remains in how carbon credits are treated. Carbon credits are defined as market instruments representing the certified reduction or removal of one tonne of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) emitted into the atmosphere. These credits may derive from mitigation projects such as reforestation initiatives, the development of renewable energy, or the use of carbon capture and storage technologies, and are used by companies or organizations to offset their residual emissions.
Alongside the technical framework, Italy introduced a significant fiscal shift between 2024 and 2025. The reform of land income taxation (Legislative Decree 192/2024) expanded the scope of agricultural income to include, among activities connected to environmental protection, the transfer of intangible assets such as carbon credits, within certain limits and conditions (agricultural predominance; excess taxed separately). The Italian Revenue Agency, with Circular 12/E of 8 August 2025, provided operational clarifications: “the transfer of carbon credits may fall within agricultural income when connected to agricultural activity in the strict sense and duly certified, rewarding carbon farming pathways and climate-positive practices.”
At the European level, the decisive piece is Regulation (EU) 2024/3012 “Carbon Removals & Carbon Farming” (CRCF), the first voluntary certification framework for CO₂ removals, carbon farming and storage in products. It establishes quality criteria, monitoring and verification requirements to prevent greenwashing that is, when a company presents itself as “greener” than it actually is by using misleading environmental claims.
In this direction also moved the proposed Green Claims Directive, through which the European Union aimed to introduce clear and verifiable rules for companies’ environmental claims (for example labels such as “eco” or “climate neutral”), in order to ensure transparency and protect consumers. It should be noted, however, that in June 2025 the legislative process was halted: the trilogue was cancelled following Italy’s withdrawal, supported by a European political minority, temporarily blocking the adoption of the anti-greenwashing law.
Regulation (EU) 2024/3012 “Carbon Removals & Carbon Farming” thus becomes the “lingua franca” for agricultural projects that wish to generate certified credits and, consequently, access economic and fiscal recognition at national level. For companies both agricultural and non-agricultural the pathway is threefold: measuring the footprint (PCF/EF), reducing it through data-driven plans, and enhancing the results (compliance, markets, sustainable finance). Within this framework, it becomes crucial for companies to rely on specialized expertise capable of guiding them through the regulatory landscape and helping define effective strategies.
This is where organizations such as Circular Srl, an environmental consultancy company based in Palermo, play a relevant role. Circular has many years of experience in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and in calculating product or organizational carbon footprints (across the life cycle), supporting companies in measuring emissions and related impacts (Scopes 1-2-3, Product Carbon Footprint / Environmental Footprint) according to European methods, defining reduction plans through eco-design, efficiency and circularity, and preparing for compliance with current regulations.
These developments show how sustainability has become a fully-fledged infrastructure of rules, tools and expertise that is reshaping markets and production models. For companies, being able to interpret and integrate it means not only avoiding compliance risks, but also accessing new economic, fiscal and reputational opportunities. In a time marked by global crises and rapid regulatory change, the ability to combine technical innovation, social responsibility and strategic vision becomes the key to turning challenges into competitive advantage.
Dr. Maria Antonella Cigno
References: D.Lgs. 192/2024, Circolare AdE 12/E/2025, Reg. (UE) 2024/3012 (CRCF). • Slide Commissione UE (LCM 2025): armonizzazione LCA/EF, ESPR, CPR, ETS/CBAM, priorità e roadmap . • Regolamento (UE) 2024/3012 (CRCF) – Certificazione europea per rimozioni, carbon farming e stoccaggio in prodotti. • Agenzia delle Entrate, Circolare 12/E – 8.8.2025 – Novità su redditi dei terreni: inclusione, a condizioni, delle cessioni di crediti di carbonio nel reddito agrario. • D.Lgs. 192/2024 – Riforma dei redditi dei terreni (modifiche al TUIR su attività agricole e connesse). https://agronotizie.imagelinenetwork.com/agricoltura-economia-politica/2025/01/23/i-crediti-di-carbonio-diventano-attivita-agricola/86622
International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 14067:2018 – Greenhouse gases — Carbon footprint of products — Requirements and guidelines for quantification. Geneva: ISO; 2018.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 14064-1:2018 – Greenhouse gases — Part 1: Specification with guidance at the organization level for qua
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