External Data Sources
The Eaternity Database (EDB) integrates several renowned external databases to ensure comprehensive coverage and methodological rigor.
Primary Databases
Ecoinvent
The world's leading Life Cycle Inventory database.
Coverage:
- Energy systems
- Resource extraction
- Materials and chemicals
- Metals production
- Agriculture
- Waste management
- Transportation
Key Features:
- Global scope with Swiss/European focus
- Continuous updates
- Rigorous peer review
- Compatible with major LCA software
Usage in EOS: Background processes, industrial activities, energy production
Agribalyse
French database for agricultural and food environmental impacts.
Coverage:
- European agricultural products
- Food processing operations
- French market specifics
Key Features:
- Standardized LCA methodology
- Multiple impact indicators
- Regional specificity for Europe
- Regular updates
Usage in EOS: European food products, agricultural processes
Hestia (University of Oxford)
Open-source agricultural environmental data.
Key Features:
- Harmonized data format
- Open data access
- Open-source gap-filling models
- Behavioral validation with farmers
Usage in EOS:
- Dynamic LCI data aggregation
- Enhanced gap-filling techniques
- Scalable architecture principles
Additional Sources
Quantis World Food Database
Global food life cycle inventory data.
Coverage: Comprehensive global food items Usage: Supplementary food product data
Agri-footprint (Blonk)
Detailed agricultural life cycle inventories.
Coverage: Global agricultural products Usage: Detailed agricultural processes
FAO Statistics
Food and Agriculture Organization data.
Coverage:
- Country codes
- Trade statistics
- Production data
Usage: Trade flow modeling, origin determination
EuroFIR
European Food Information Resource.
Coverage: Nutritional composition data Usage: Nutrition calculations, Vita Score
FoodEx2
EFSA food classification system.
Coverage: Standardized food categories Usage: Food classification, data harmonization
GADM
Global Administrative Areas database.
Coverage: World administrative boundaries Usage: Geographic context, regional calculations
Swiss Food Composition Database
Swiss nutritional composition database from the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO).
Website: naehrwertdaten.ch
Coverage:
- Foods available in Switzerland
- Nutritional composition data
- Swiss market specificity
Usage: Swiss-specific nutritional data, complement to EuroFIR for local foods
Transportation & Logistics
EcoTransIT World
Global transport emissions calculation tool developed by the EcoTransIT World Initiative (EWI).
Website: ecotransit.org
Provider: IVE mbH (Ingenieurgesellschaft für Verkehrs- und Eisenbahnwesen)
Coverage:
- Global transport sector emissions
- All transport modes (road, rail, sea, air)
- Harmonized calculation methodology
Key Features:
- Globally recognized calculation standard
- Continuously developed methodology
- Multi-modal transport support
Usage in EOS: Transport emissions modeling, logistics impact calculations, food distribution environmental footprint
Climate & Environmental Data
Meteonorm
Comprehensive meteorological database and software from Meteotest AG.
Website: meteonorm.com
Data Sources:
- Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA) from ETH Zurich
- WMO-compliant national weather services
- Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN)
- MeteoSwiss and German Weather Service (DWD)
- Five geostationary satellites for gap-filling
- ERA5 reanalysis data
Coverage:
- Solar irradiation (1981-1990, 1996-2015)
- Temperature and other parameters (1961-1990, 2000-2019)
- Aerosol climatology (2000-2015, 0.5° resolution)
- Historical hourly time series since 2010
Key Features:
- Quality-checked by Meteotest
- Transparent uncertainty documentation
- Global coverage between 62°S and 62°N
- Satellite data fills measurement gaps
Usage in EOS: Climate context for agricultural modeling, seasonal variations, geographic environmental conditions
Open-Source Platforms
BONSAI
Open-source product footprint platform.
Website: bonsai.uno
Provider: BONSAI (not-for-profit association)
Mission: Make reliable, unbiased sustainability information on products readily and freely available to support product comparisons and decisions.
Key Features:
- Open-source data, software, and algorithms
- Not-for-profit model
- Funded by governments, industries, charities, and crowdfunding
- Focus on "product footprints"
Usage in EOS: Supplementary product footprint data, open-source methodology validation, cross-reference
Industry-Specific Sources
Seafood
Sea Around Us
- Global fisheries data
- Catch statistics
- Stock assessments
- Ecosystem impacts
FishBase & SeaLifeBase
- Species information
- Biological characteristics
- Geographic distribution
Seafood Watch (Monterey Bay Aquarium)
- Sustainability ratings
- Aquaculture practices
- Fishing method impacts
Coffee
ICO (International Coffee Organization)
- Production statistics
- Quality standards
- Trade data
Scientific Publications:
- van Rikxoort et al. (2014). Coffee yield gap analysis
- Noponen et al. (2012). Greenhouse gas emissions from coffee production
Cocoa
ICCO (International Cocoa Organization)
- Production data
- Quality standards
- Market information
World Cocoa Foundation
- Sustainability programs
- Farming practices
- Supply chain data
Water Footprint
Water Footprint Network
Key Publications:
- Mekonnen, M.M. & Hoekstra, A.Y. (2011). "The green, blue and grey water footprint of crops and derived crop products." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 15, 1577-1600.
- Hoekstra, A.Y. et al. (2012). "Global monthly water scarcity: blue water footprints versus blue water availability." PLoS ONE, 7(2).
Data Provided:
- Crop water footprints (green, blue, grey)
- Country water scarcity factors
- Monthly water availability
- Basin-level water stress
Climate Science
IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)
Key Reports:
- IPCC AR6 (2021). "Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis."
GWP Values Used (100-year timeframe):
- CO₂: 1 (reference)
- CH₄: 28
- N₂O: 265
Research Partners
Academic and research institutions contributing to EOS data quality and methodology.
Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL)
State-independent research institute for organic agriculture.
Website: fibl.org
Focus Areas:
- Organic agriculture research
- Entire food system value chain
- Nutrition security
- Conservation of natural resources
Key Features:
- Multi-country European presence (six independent FiBLs)
- Practice-oriented research
- Partnerships with farmers and field validation
- Non-profit civil society institution
Usage in EOS: Organic farming data, sustainable agriculture practices, European agricultural context
ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.
Website: ethz.ch
Collaboration Areas:
- Environmental science research
- LCA methodology development
- Scientific validation
- Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA)
Usage in EOS: Academic partnership, methodology validation, scientific research collaboration
University of Zurich (UZH)
Swiss research university.
Website: uzh.ch
Usage in EOS: Research partnership, academic validation
ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences)
Applied sciences university with agri-food specialization.
Website: zhaw.ch/IUNR/agri-food
Focus Areas:
- Institute for Natural Resource Sciences (IUNR)
- Agri-food research
- Applied sciences approach
Usage in EOS: Applied research collaboration, practical food system data, Swiss agricultural context
Data Quality Standards
Transparent data quality assessment is essential for credible environmental claims. EOS implements a tiered system aligned with ISO 14044 and PEF data quality requirements.
Data Hierarchy
We prioritize data quality in this order:
Tier 1: Primary Data (Highest Quality)
- Direct measurements
- Client-provided verified data
- Supplier-specific LCAs
- Use: Prioritized whenever available
Tier 2: Secondary Data - Specific
- Eaternity Database (region & method specific)
- Ecoinvent (country-specific)
- Scientific literature (peer-reviewed)
- Use: Standard for most assessments
Tier 3: Secondary Data - Representative
- Eaternity Database (regional averages)
- Ecoinvent (global averages)
- Industry averages
- Use: When specific data unavailable
Tier 4: Proxy Data (Lowest Quality)
- Similar products
- Economic input-output
- Expert estimates with uncertainty ranges
- Use: Last resort, with documented uncertainty
Data Quality Scoring
Each dataset is rated on a 5-point scale across five criteria:
| Criterion | Score 5 | Score 3 | Score 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reliability | Verified measurement | Calculated from literature | Qualified estimate |
| Completeness | All processes included | Major processes | Partial data |
| Temporal | Under 3 years old | 3-10 years | Over 10 years |
| Geographic | Site-specific | Country | Global average |
| Technology | Process-specific | Technology average | Proxy |
Overall Quality Score: Average of the five criteria (R + C + T + G + Te) / 5
- 4.0-5.0: Excellent — Use with high confidence
- 3.0-4.0: Good — Suitable for comparative assertions
- 2.0-3.0: Fair — Indicative only
- Under 2.0: Poor — Avoid for public claims
Integration Process
All external data undergoes:
- Compatibility Check — Alignment with EDB format
- Quality Assessment — Data reliability evaluation
- Gap Analysis — Identification of missing values
- Integration Testing — Validation after import
- Version Tracking — Update management
Update Frequency
- Continuous: New scientific publications reviewed monthly
- Quarterly: Ecoinvent updates, energy grid emission factors, agricultural statistics
- Annual: Full database review and validation, methodology refinements
- Major (3-5 years): Database restructuring, new impact categories, standards alignment
See Also
- Eaternity Database — EDB overview
- Methodology — LCA methodology