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Life cycle sustainability assessment in the context of sustainability science progress (part 2)

  • LIFE CYCLE SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT: FROM LCA TO LCSA
  • Published:
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

In the context of progress of sustainability science, life cycle thinking and, in particular, life cycle sustainability assessment may play a crucial role. Environmental, economic and social implications of the whole supply chain of products, both goods and services, their use and waste management, i.e. their entire life cycle from “cradle to grave” have to be considered to achieve more sustainable production and consumption patterns. Progress toward sustainability requires enhancing the methodologies for integrated assessment and mainstreaming of life cycle thinking from product development to strategic policy support. Life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle costing (LCC) and social LCA (sLCA) already attempt to cover sustainability pillars, notwithstanding different levels of methodological development. An increasing concern on how to deal with the complexity of sustainability has promoted the development of life cycle sustainability frameworks. As a contribution to the ongoing scientific debate after the Rio+20 conference, this paper aims to present and discuss the state of the art of life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA), giving recommendations for its further development in line with ontological, epistemological and methodological aspects of sustainability science.

Methods

Building on the review about the state of the art of sustainability science and sustainability assessment methods presented in part I, this paper discuss LCA, LCC, sLCA and LCSA against ontological, epistemological and methodological aspects of ongoing scientific debate on sustainability. Strengths and weaknesses of existing life cycle-based methodologies and methods are presented. Besides, existing frameworks for LCSA are evaluated against the criteria defined in part I in order to highlight coherence with sustainability science progress and to support better integration and mainstreaming of sustainability concepts.

Conclusions and outlook

LCSA represents a promising approach for developing a transparent, robust and comprehensive assessment. Nevertheless, the ongoing developments should be in line with the most advanced scientific discussion on sustainability science, attempting to bridge the gaps between the current methods and methodologies for sustainability assessment. LCSA should develop so as to be hierarchically different from LCA, LCC and sLCA. It should represent the holistic approach which integrates (and not substitutes) the reductionist approach of the single part of the analysis. This implies maintaining the balance between analytical and descriptive approaches towards a goal and solution-oriented decision support methodology.

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Notes

  1. First approaches date back to 1998 (Andersson et al. 1998).

  2. The Seventh Framework Program is a funding programme created by the European Union in order to support research in the European Research Area. Started in 2007, the funding will run until 2013 and it is also designed to respond to Europe’s employment needs, competitiveness and quality of life.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sustainability Assessment Unit, European Commission–Joint Research Centre Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Via Enrico Fermi 2749, T.P. 270, 21027, Ispra, Varese, Italy

    Serenella Sala

  2. Interuniversity Research Centre on Sustainable Development (CIRPS)–Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazza San Pietro in Vincoli 10, 00184, Rome, Italy

    Francesca Farioli

  3. Department Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184, Rome, Italy

    Francesca Farioli

  4. LCA and Ecodesign Laboratory, Italian National Agency for new Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), via Martiri di Monte Sole 4, 40129, Bologna, Italy

    Alessandra Zamagni

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  1. Serenella Sala
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  2. Francesca Farioli
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  3. Alessandra Zamagni
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Correspondence to Serenella Sala.

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Sala, S., Farioli, F. & Zamagni, A. Life cycle sustainability assessment in the context of sustainability science progress (part 2). Int J Life Cycle Assess 18, 1686–1697 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-012-0509-5

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