Topical discussion: should we strive towards a single, common LCA approach?

Description

Many different approaches are used in the LCA community. Attempts to harmonize LCA has resulted in a multitude of conflicting guidelines and standards. Confusion is created because the guidelines and standards are often open to interpretation. This, in part, is because LCA experts do not agree on the meaning of key concepts such as life cycle and system expansion. The variety of LCA approaches means that results from different LCAs cannot be compared. There is a risk of greenwashing, which can greatly reduce the credibility of LCA. On the other hand, the variety of approaches makes LCA a versatile tool for research. It also allows for adapting the LCA to focus on aspects that are important in a specific decision context. Some LCA actors think the variety is a serious problem that should be fixed, while others think it is fine and/or that global agreement on a common LCA approach is impossible to reach. This Topical Discussion aims to clarify the arguments on both sides.

Period	16 May 2022
Event title	SETAC Copenhagen – SETAC Europe 32nd Annual Meeting: Towards a Reduced Pollution Society
Event type	Conference
Location	Copenhagen, DenmarkShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International