The ImpactWorld+ impact method introduces a midpoint-damage framework that allows practitioners to analyze impacts at different levels of detail, from specific midpoint indicators to broader damage assessments on human health, ecosystem quality, and resource availability.
To use this impact assessment method and its categories, you need a full Ecoinvent license.
Short vs long term
Categories with long term impacts are subdivided into shorter-term damages (over the 100 years after the emission) and long-term damages (occurring beyond 100 years after the emission).
Midpoint-level impact categories
Impact Category | Unit |
Ionizing radiations | Bq C-14 eq |
Freshwater ecotoxicity | CTUe |
Human toxicity cancer | CTUh |
Human toxicity non-cancer | CTUh |
Fossil and nuclear energy use | MJ deprived |
Ozone layer depletion | kg CFC-11 eq |
Climate change, long term | kg CO2 eq (long) |
Climate change, short term | kg CO2 eq (short) |
Marine eutrophication | kg N N-lim eq |
Particulate matter formation | kg PM2.5 eq |
Freshwater eutrophication | kg PO4 P-lim eq |
Freshwater acidification | kg SO2 eq |
Terrestrial acidification | kg SO2 eq |
Mineral resources use | kg deprived |
Photochemical ozone formation | kgNOxeq |
Land transformation, biodiversity | m2 arable land eq |
Land occupation, biodiversity | m2 arable land eq .yr |
Water scarcity | m3 world-eq |
Damage-level impact categories
Impact Category | Unit |
Climate change, human health, long term | DALY |
Climate change, human health, short term | DALY |
Human toxicity cancer, long term | DALY |
Human toxicity cancer, short term | DALY |
Human toxicity non-cancer, long term | DALY |
Human toxicity non-cancer, short term | DALY |
Ionizing radiations, human health | DALY |
Ozone layer depletion | DALY |
Particulate matter formation | DALY |
Photochemical ozone formation, human health | DALY |
Water availability, human health | DALY |
Climate change, ecosystem quality, long term | PDF.m2.yr |
Climate change, ecosystem quality, short term | PDF.m2.yr |
Freshwater acidification | PDF.m2.yr |
Freshwater ecotoxicity, long term | PDF.m2.yr |
Freshwater ecotoxicity, short term | PDF.m2.yr |
Freshwater eutrophication | PDF.m2.yr |
Ionizing radiations, ecosystem quality | PDF.m2.yr |
Land occupation, biodiversity | PDF.m2.yr |
Land transformation, biodiversity | PDF.m2.yr |
Marine acidification, long term | PDF.m2.yr |
Marine acidification, short term | PDF.m2.yr |
Marine ecotoxicity, long term | PDF.m2.yr |
Marine ecotoxicity, short term | PDF.m2.yr |
Marine eutrophication | PDF.m2.yr |
Photochemical ozone formation, ecosystem quality | PDF.m2.yr |
Terrestrial acidification | PDF.m2.yr |
Terrestrial ecotoxicity, long term | PDF.m2.yr |
Terrestrial ecotoxicity, short term | PDF.m2.yr |
Water availability, freshwater ecosystem | PDF.m2.yr |
Water availability, terrestrial ecosystem | PDF.m2.yr |
For more information about ImpactWorld+, visit the official webpage.