Research

Natural resources as an area of protection in LCA - outcomes of the discussion by the working group on resources within the UNEP-SETAC Life Cycle Initiative

Read the article

Abstract

The topic of resources as an area of protection (AoP) in life cycle assessment (LCA) is being discussed within an expert group under the umbrella of the Life Cycle Initiative by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC). The AoP ‘Natural Resources’ is neither well defined nor agreed upon. Furthermore, there is currently no life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) method available that is able to consist ently assess impacts at midpoint and endpoint level across different resource categories (minerals/metals and fossil fuels, water, land/soil, biotic resources like wild plants and animals). Definitions and categorizations of natural resources differ and there is no agreement on what methods should be considered midpoint or endpoint methods because there is no agreement (at midpoint and endpoint) on what impact should be assessed (is it reduced vailability, is it depletion, is it increased energy use or costs due to future resource extraction, etc.?). The merit of this working group is the broad analysis of available methods considering different resources and their integrated discussion according to the methods’ underlying principles (e.g. use-to-availability ratios, backup technology approaches, etc.). This is the basis on which recommendations for best practice with existing methods and indications for further research and development will be given. At the time of the SETAC 2016 conference, the group should have these recommendations ready.