Climate & Environment
Type I / Type II / Type III Ecolabels
Definition
The ISO 14020 series classifies environmental labels and declarations into three types. Type I (ISO 14024): third-party certified, multi-criteria, life-cycle-based ecolabels awarded by independent programmes (EU Ecolabel, Nordic Swan, Blue Angel). Type II (ISO 14021): self-declared environmental claims by manufacturers, subject to accuracy and verifiability requirements. Type III (ISO 14025): environmental product declarations presenting quantified, verified life-cycle data in set categories — information, not approval — enabling comparison, especially in construction.
References
This reference provides supporting context for how “Type I / Type II / Type III Ecolabels” is defined and used.
Source imported for editorial provenance.
Overview
How it is used
The classification structures ecolabel programmes, green public procurement criteria, construction product assessment and anti-greenwashing enforcement.
Why it matters
Not all labels are equal; the three types are the field's own map of how much trust each deserves.