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Summary Environmental Assessment And Management Approaches
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Environmental Assessment And Management Approaches
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Lecture 1 - 16 novemberWhy are we here? Limit climate change. Climate change is not the only challenge, also
biodiversity loss, urbanization, global cooperation.
There is no straightforward solution, there are trade-offs.
Some examples (risk migration):
- Biofuels: competition for food/feed (food vs fuels)
- Battery electric vehicles: fossil resource depletion (and greenhouse gas emissions)
vs sustainability risks of minerals such as lithium and cobalt (including child labor,
emissions from mining activities)
But be careful, the public (and policy) debate is often fed by e.g. false information errors or
misinterpretation of results (it is never black or white)!
The key challenge for Research, Industry & Policymakers is how to do it sustainably!
More answers are possible, but with the new biobased fibers, it would be good to assess
impact categories that could potentially increase as a result of the alternative feedstock type
to avoid burden shifting/risk migration.
➔ LCA as most important environmental
assessment tool and to explain basic
analysis concepts
➔ Cleaner Production, Eco-Efficiency & Eco-
design focus on ‘own’ product, with limited
links to upstream and downstream actors.
➔ C2C and especially circular economy
require active involvement of other actors &
stakeholders in value chain (or perhaps
value cycle) -> a more holistic approach, but
feasibility in a global economy to be seen
➔ Environmental aspects in CE become less
and less pronounced
Two main philosophies:
“Lets make things better” (Cleaner Production)
VS
“Better is not good enough” (C2C, Circular economy)
For both, assessment tools like LCA is important, but C2C and CE trust mainly that if their
principles are applied, an intrinsic/overall sustainable product/service will be developed
Lecture 2 - Goal and Scope definition - 18 november
The life cycle model cradle-to-grave
- Including all processes, in every stage resources can be used and there are
emissions. You will look at the impact on the environment.
,LCA history
International standardisation
● There was a strong need for harmonising methods to ensure consistency between
studies
● The first official guidelines: SETAC (1993) Guidelines for Life-Cycle Assessment: A
“code of practice”
● The formal standardisation was developed by the International Organisation of
Standardisation (ISO)
○ ISO 14040: 1997, The principles and framework
○ ISO 14041: 1998, Goal and scope definition
○ ISO 14042: 2000, Life cycle impact assessment
○ ISO 14043: 2000, Life cycle interpretation
● The 2006 update (ISO 14040/44):
○ ISO 14040: 2006, The principles and framework
○ ISO 14044: 2006, Detailed requirements and guidelines
, > Guidelines
ISO 14040 definition of LCA
Technique for assessing the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a
product
- compiling an inventory of relevant inputs and outputs
- evaluating potential impacts associated with inputs and outputs
- interpreting results of inventory and impact assessment
Life cycle perspective
- raw material aquisition, production, use and disposal
General impact categories
- resource use
- human health
- ecological consequences
LCA procedure from the ISO 14040 standard
Examples of application areas for LCA
Policy
, - Life cycle minimum greenhouse gas saving criteria for biofuels/bioenergy (e.g. EU
Renewable Energy Directive, US Renewable Fuels standard)
- Waste (e.g. EU Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC)
- EU: Development of LCA-based methods for product environmental footprint (PEF),
and organization environmental footprint (OEF)
- Green procurement (e.g. Eco Cost Indictor/ Milieukostenindicator, stimulate
environmental friendly production)
Industry
- Eco-design
- Cleaner production (e.g. identifying environmental hot spots)
- Marketing purposes (e.g. through ecolabelling or Environmental Product Declarations
EPDs)
- Sustainability reporting
Consumers
- Ecolabels
- Decision support based on information from producers, academia or media (e.g.
what is better for the environment, an electric or conventional car)
Steps in LCA: goal and scope definition
ISO 14044 on goal definition (4 aspects)
Following items shall be unambiguously stated:
➔ The intended application (WHAT)
➔ The reasons for carrying out the study (WHY)
➔ The intended audience (FOR WHO)
➔ Comparative assertions disclosed to the public?
- If so, additional requirements on method, reporting and external review apply.
Goal definition: WHAT?
What is the intended application?
- Comparison environmental impact of products
- Assessment of the impact of a single product to find improvement options
Goal definition: WHY? (6 types of applications)
1. General exploration of options
2. Innovation on company level
3. Innovation in a sector
4. Strategic planning
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