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Towards a life cycle sustainability assessment: making informed choices on products

Abstract

In this introduction to the concept of life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA), we acknowledge the foundations laid by previous works and initiatives. One such initiative has been the ISO 14040 series (Environmental management -- Life cycle assessment -- Principles and framework), which in addition to the ISO 26000: Social Responsibility Guidance Standard, and the contribution of a number of international initiatives (Appendix A) have been essential for the development of this publication. The life cycle of a product involves flows of material, energy and money. Nonetheless, the picture is not complete unless we look also at the production and consumption impacts on all actors along the 'value chain' -- workers, local communities, consumers and society itself. Different life cycle assessment techniques allow individuals and enterprises to assess the impact of their purchasing decisions and production methods along different aspects of this value chain. An (Environmental) life cycle assessment (LCA) looks at potential impacts to the environment as a result of the extraction of resources, transportation, production, use, recycling and discarding of products; life cycle costing (LCC) is used to assess the cost implications of this life cycle; and social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) examines the social consequences. However, in order  More>>
Authors:
Ciroth, Andreas; [1]  Finkbeiner, Matthias; Traverso, Marzia; [2]  Hildenbrand, Jutta; [3]  Kloepffer, Walter; [4]  Mazijn, Bernard; [5]  Prakash, Siddharth; [6]  Sonnemann, Guido; Valdivia, Sonia; [7]  Ugaya, Cassia Maria Lie; [8]  Vickery-Niederman, Gina [9] 
  1. GreenDeltaTC, Berlin (Germany)
  2. TU Berlin (Germany)
  3. Chalmers University (United States)
  4. Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment (Germany)
  5. Ghent University (Belgium)
  6. Oeko-Institut (Germany)
  7. UNEP (France)
  8. Technological Federal University of Parana, ACV (Brazil)
  9. University of Arkansas (United States)
Publication Date:
Jul 01, 2011
Product Type:
Miscellaneous
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Part of the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative programme
Subject:
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT; LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT; PRODUCTION; ENERGY CONSUMPTION; GLOBAL ASPECTS; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS; SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
OSTI ID:
21539143
Research Organizations:
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Sustainable Consumption and Production Branch, Paris (France); United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Nairobi (Kenya); Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) (Washington, DC (United States))
Country of Origin:
France
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
TRN: FR12OA016
Availability:
For more about the UNEP Sustainable Consumption and Production Branch, see the website: http://www.unep.fr/scp/; Commercial reproduction prohibited; OSTI as DE21539143
Submitting Site:
ETDE
Size:
66 pages
Announcement Date:
Mar 29, 2012

Citation Formats

Ciroth, Andreas, Finkbeiner, Matthias, Traverso, Marzia, Hildenbrand, Jutta, Kloepffer, Walter, Mazijn, Bernard, Prakash, Siddharth, Sonnemann, Guido, Valdivia, Sonia, Ugaya, Cassia Maria Lie, and Vickery-Niederman, Gina. Towards a life cycle sustainability assessment: making informed choices on products. France: N. p., 2011. Web.
Ciroth, Andreas, Finkbeiner, Matthias, Traverso, Marzia, Hildenbrand, Jutta, Kloepffer, Walter, Mazijn, Bernard, Prakash, Siddharth, Sonnemann, Guido, Valdivia, Sonia, Ugaya, Cassia Maria Lie, & Vickery-Niederman, Gina. Towards a life cycle sustainability assessment: making informed choices on products. France.
Ciroth, Andreas, Finkbeiner, Matthias, Traverso, Marzia, Hildenbrand, Jutta, Kloepffer, Walter, Mazijn, Bernard, Prakash, Siddharth, Sonnemann, Guido, Valdivia, Sonia, Ugaya, Cassia Maria Lie, and Vickery-Niederman, Gina. 2011. "Towards a life cycle sustainability assessment: making informed choices on products." France.
@misc{etde_21539143,
title = {Towards a life cycle sustainability assessment: making informed choices on products}
author = {Ciroth, Andreas, Finkbeiner, Matthias, Traverso, Marzia, Hildenbrand, Jutta, Kloepffer, Walter, Mazijn, Bernard, Prakash, Siddharth, Sonnemann, Guido, Valdivia, Sonia, Ugaya, Cassia Maria Lie, and Vickery-Niederman, Gina}
abstractNote = {In this introduction to the concept of life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA), we acknowledge the foundations laid by previous works and initiatives. One such initiative has been the ISO 14040 series (Environmental management -- Life cycle assessment -- Principles and framework), which in addition to the ISO 26000: Social Responsibility Guidance Standard, and the contribution of a number of international initiatives (Appendix A) have been essential for the development of this publication. The life cycle of a product involves flows of material, energy and money. Nonetheless, the picture is not complete unless we look also at the production and consumption impacts on all actors along the 'value chain' -- workers, local communities, consumers and society itself. Different life cycle assessment techniques allow individuals and enterprises to assess the impact of their purchasing decisions and production methods along different aspects of this value chain. An (Environmental) life cycle assessment (LCA) looks at potential impacts to the environment as a result of the extraction of resources, transportation, production, use, recycling and discarding of products; life cycle costing (LCC) is used to assess the cost implications of this life cycle; and social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) examines the social consequences. However, in order to get the 'whole picture', it is vital to extend current life cycle thinking to encompass all three pillars of sustainability: (i) environmental, (ii) economic and (iii) social. This means carrying out an assessment based on environmental, economic and social issues -- by conducting an overarching life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA). This publication shows how all three techniques -- which all share similar methodological frameworks and aims -- can be combined to make the move towards an overarching LCSA possible. Because it is holistic, systemic and rigorous, (environmental) LCA is the preferred technique when it comes to compiling and assessing information about potential environmental impacts of a product. It has been standardized in the ISO 14040 and 14044 and is applied by practitioners globally. Life cycle costing as a technique to calculate and manage costs, especially for large investments has been used to support decision-makers in procurement for decades, with a rigorous focus on private costs. Prerequisites for better alignment with (environmental) LCA are currently being researched and will help the further development of the method. As an emerging technique, S-LCA will play a key role in complementing material- and energy-flow-related information. Since the late 1990s, the Life Cycle Initiative partnership of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) has enhanced the role of life cycle based approaches and thinking in several ways. Two examples are the partnership's contributions to the Marrakech Process on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) and inputs for the development of a 10-Year Framework of Programmes on SCP (10YFP). This current publication, Towards a Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, expands this work by bringing the concept of LCSA methods to the fore. In doing so, it will contribute to the sustainable development discussions of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Summit) in 2012 ('Rio+20'). The text will also contribute to the UNEP Green Economy Initiative -- which strives to build economies that bring improved human well-being, reduce inequalities over the long term and which keep future generations safe from environmental risk and ecological scarcity. The publication includes eight case studies to illustrate how current and emerging life cycle assessment techniques are being implemented worldwide from Asia through Europe and Latin America.}
place = {France}
year = {2011}
month = {Jul}
}