Sonia Valdivia

A UNEP/SETAC approach towards a life cycle sustainability assessment: our contribution to Rio+20

PurposeTo contribute to the upcoming United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in 2012 by introducing a life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) and showing how it can play a crucial role in moving towards sustainable consumption and production. The publication, titled Towards a Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, and published by the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative aims to show how three life cycle techniques—(environmental) LCA, S-LCA and LCC—can be combined as part of an over-arching LCSA.MethodsThe method was demonstrated by evaluating the characteristics of each phase for each life cycle technique. In defining the goal and scope of an LCSA, for example, different aspects should be taken into account to establish the aim of the study as well as the functional unit, system boundaries, impact category and allocation. Then, the data to be collected for the life cycle sustainability inventory can be either in a unit process or on an organisational level. They can also be quantitative or qualitative. Life cycle sustainability impact assessment should consider the relevance of the impacts as well as the perspective of stakeholders. The interpretation should not add up the results, but rather evaluate them jointly. In order to clarify the approach, a case study is presented to evaluate three types of marble according to the proposed method.Results and discussionThe authors have identified that while LCSA is feasible, following areas need more development: data production and acquisition, methodological development, discussion about LCSA criteria (e.g. cutoff rules), definitions and formats of communication and dissemination of LCSA results and the expansion of research and applications combining (environmental) LCA, LCC and S-LCA. The authors also indicate that it is necessary to develop more examples and cases to improve user capacity to analyse the larger picture and therefore address the three dimensions or pillars of sustainability in a systematic way. Software and database providers are called for in order to facilitate user-friendly and accessible tools to promote LCSAs.ConclusionsThe application demonstrated that, although methodological improvements are still needed, important steps towards an overarching sustainability assessment have been accomplished. LCSA is possible and should be pursued; however, more efforts should be made to improve the technique and facilitate the studies in order to contribute to a greener economy.

Life Cycle Impact Assessment—where we are, trends, and next steps: a late report from a UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative workshop and a few updates from recent developments

PurposeThe paper provides a late report from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)/Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Life Cycle Initiative workshop “Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA)—where we are, trends, and next steps;” it embeds this report into recent development with regard to the envisaged development of global guidance on environmental life cycle impact assessment indicators and related methodologies.MethodsThe document is the output of the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative’s workshop on “Life Cycle Impact Assessment—where we are, trends, and next steps.” The presentations and discussions held during the workshop reviewed the first two phases of the Life Cycle Initiative and provided an overview of current LCIA activities being conducted by the Initiative, governments and academia, as well as corporate approaches. The outcomes of the workshop are reflected in light of the implementation of the strategy for Phase 3 of the Life Cycle Initiative.ResultsThe range of views provided during the workshop indicated different user needs, with regards to, amongst other things, the required complexity of the LCIA methodology, associated costs, and the selection of LCIA categories depending on environmental priorities. The workshop’s results signified a number of potential focus areas for Phase 3 of the Initiative, including capacity building efforts concerning LCIA in developing countries and emerging economies, the preparation of training materials on LCIA, the production of global guidance on LCIA, and the potential development of a broader sustainability indicators framework.ConclusionsThese suggestions have been taken into account in the strategy for Phase 3 of the Life Cycle Initiative in two flagship projects, one on global capability development on life cycle approaches and the other on global guidance on environmental life cycle impact assessment indicators. In the context of the latter project, first activities are being organized and planned. Moreover, UNEP has included the recommendations in its Rio + 20 Voluntary Commitments: UNEP and SETAC through the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative commit to facilitate improved access to good quality life cycle data and databases as well as expanded use of key environmental indicators that allows the measurement and monitoring of progress towards the environmental sustainability of selected product chains.

Organizational LCA: the new member of the LCA family—introducing the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative guidance document

One of the flagship projects included in the phase III of the UNEP and SETAC’s Life Cycle Initiative partnership is the so-called BLCA of organizations.^ It was kicked off in mid2013, and during the last 2 years, its nearly 70 participants have been drafting and validating the BGuidance on organizational life cycle assessment^ (UNEP 2015). This editorial is the official announcement of the publication of this new UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative product and shortly presents it to the LCA community. Organizational LCA is a relevant and promising newmember of the LCA family. Just like social LCAwas promoted and supported by the publication of the Guidelines for Social LCA (UNEP/SETAC 2009), we expect that the guidance document now launched will serve making organizational LCAwidely applied.

Global guidance principles for life cycle assessment databases: development of training material and other implementation activities on the publication

PurposeThe paper introduces the publication on “Global Guidance Principles for Life Cycle Assessment Databases”; it focuses on the development of training material and other implementation activities on the publication.MethodsThe document is the output of the “Shonan Guidance Principles” workshop. The publication provides guidance principles for life cycle assessment (LCA) databases; this includes how to collect raw data, how to develop datasets, and how to manage databases. The publication also addresses questions concerning data documentation and review, coordination among databases, capacity building, and future scenarios. As a next step, the publication is used to prepare training material and other implementation activities.ResultsThe publication was launched at the LCM 2011 Conference. Since then outreach activities have been organized in particular in emerging economies. Further developments with regard to the guidance principles are foreseen as part of a flagship project within phase 3 of the Life Cycle Initiative. Training material is being developed that will include how to set up databases and develop datasets. The topic has been taken up by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in its Rio + 20 Voluntary Commitments: UNEP and Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) through the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative commit to facilitate improved access to good quality life cycle data and databases as well as expanded use of key environmental indicators that allows the measurement and monitoring of progress towards the environmental sustainability of selected product chains.ConclusionsThe adoption of the “Global Guidance Principles” publication as a de facto global standard is expected to facilitate the work of database teams, especially, in developing countries, and the collaboration in regional networks. These efforts are supported by the development of training material and other implementation activities.

Life Cycle Inventories of Gold Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Activities in Peru

No life cycle assessment (LCA) of artisanal and small‐scale mining activities (AS A&Sma occurred mostly in Colombia, Peru, and Brazil. The aim of this study is to estimate environmental indicators using methodologies for life cycle inventories (LCIs) in one of the two largest producers of gold through A&Sma in South America, Peru, and to discuss possible indicators for A&Sma in South America. Different functional units were used for each case study, as gold with different concentrations was produced and it was not possible to collect data for downstream processes for both bases. The product systems start in the mining and end with the gold production. Data were collected in two mining sites and, later on, related to the functional units. The results showed the amount of energy and water consumed as well as mercury used and released, carbon dioxide (CO) emissions, and solid wastes for each type of gold produced.

Life Cycle Management Capability: An Alternative Approach to Sustainability Assessment

There has been steady progress advancing life cycle assessment methods. However, application of LCA in business decision making has lagged. UNEP and SETAC are collaborating on development of a life cycle management capability maturity model to address this gap, particularly in small-to-medium sized enterprises (SME) with limited life cycle experience. The model provides a structured sequence of improvement actions that can speed organisational learning and deliver near- term business results. The framework also complements existing efforts to develop quantified sustainability performance measures by building the capacity of lower tier suppliers to make effective decisions based on their understanding of the local situation and according to their priorities. This should ensure the quality of the data provided as well as help further the development of sustainability indicators.

Mainstreaming Life Cycle Sustainability Management in Rapidly Growing and Emerging Economies Through Capacity-Building

Professionals in companies in industrialised countries as well as consultants and academics working for these companies have acquired capabilities in life cycle sustainability management (LCSM). Actors in emerging economies are beginning to develop those capacities as well, supported by training programmes. This chapter highlights the work of the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative which has worked toward strengthening LCSM/LCA capacities worldwide since its creation in 2002; presents the current conditions for mainstreaming LCSM following an analysis of available knowledge and infrastructure in 18 rapidly growing economies (including least developed countries, rapidly growing and emerging economies) based on four criteria; and discusses the results and proposes a framework to develop LCSM capacities and provides conclusions and an outlook with recommendations. As some capacities in a number of emerging economies are beginning to consolidate, the implementation and changes of current practices toward improved performance by implementing LCSM remain insufficient.

The UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative

The activities of the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative have been crucial for the dissemination of LCA worldwide and the creation of a global life cycle community, since 2002, after the ISO 14040 series had been established. The Life Cycle Initiative not only contributed to capability development and the set up of national and regional life cycle networks in different parts of the world but also to enhancing and building global consensus on life cycle methodologies in areas such as life cycle inventory (LCI), life cycle impact assessment (LCIA), social life cycle assessment as well as carbon and water footprinting. Moreover, the Life Cycle Initiative has successfully promoted the way leading companies are doing life cycle management (LCM) and the integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development in life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA).

VI International conference on life cycle assessment in Latin America: CILCA 2015—Lima, Peru, July 13 to 16, 2015

We are pleased to inform you that the Iberoamerican Life Cycle Network, the Peruvian Life Cycle Network and the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative will be organizing the sixth edition of the International Conference on Life Cycle Assessment in Latin-America on July 13 to 16, 2015 in Lima, Peru. Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Management and other tools based on life cycle thinking are playing an increasingly important role in the decision-making process of diverse organizations in the Latin American region. The International Conference on Life Cycle Assessment (CILCA) is an event held in Latin America every 2 years, and the last conference in Mendoza (Argentina) confirms this growing interest; CILCA 2013 was the biggest life cycle conference ever held in Latin America with approximately 250 participants. CILCA provides a venue for sharing ideas and experiences regarding the application and dissemination of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and life cycle thinking-based tools in Latin America. Peru has substantial natural resources such as minerals and metals, fishing and other biologically-diverse resources. To a great extent, they are not managed in a sustainable way, nor are manufacturing and use managed to avoid impacts to human health and ecosystems. This reality provides strong motivation for the use of life cycle-based methodologies that promote sustainable production and consumption. CILCA 2015 aims to gather practitioners and users of life cycle thinking-based tools, government, companies, NGO’s, industrial sectors and universities and research institutes of the Latin American region. This event is very important for the economic development of the region, considering that the Life Cycle Assessment can help with the design of regulations and more sustainable decision-making processes of organizations, companies and governments.

First Indian life cycle assessment and management conference 2012

We are delighted to inform you that the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)/Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Life Cycle Initiative, a joint programme of the UNEP and the SETAC, will be organizing the First Indian Life Cycle Assessment and Management Conference (ILCM 2012) on 21–23 August 2012 at Federation House, New Delhi, India. This unique event, which will be held in India for the first time, invites experts and interested audiences from across the globe. The aim of ILCM 2012 is to focus on the provision of knowledge about the application of tools for guiding governments, consumers and business towards a sustainable quality of life in India. The conference offers a diverse and promising program as well as workshop sessions, and participants from across the globe will be welcomed at the inaugural session to be held on 22 August. The four key areas to be discussed are the following: