IEC formally began work to develop carbon footprint standards  for electrical & electronic products. The standards will specify product category rules enabling manufacturers to calculate carbon footprint of their products based on life cycle assessment (LCA).  The need for standards is highlighted by the growing interest by governments and retailers in implementing carbon labeling programs (UK, France, Japan, and Korea to name a few).  During the May workgroup meeting, a representative of the EU Commission presented aggressive timeframe for implementation of standards for the electronics industry.