Implications of LCA and LCIA choices on interpretation of results and on decision support
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Implications of LCA and LCIA choices on interpretation of results and on decision support Serenella Sala1 · Alexis Laurent2 · Marisa Vieira3 · Gert Van Hoof4 Received: 14 November 2020 / Accepted: 18 November 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Life cycle interpretation is one of the four phases identified in the ISO 14040 and the ISO 14044 standards (ISO 2006a,b). The interpretation phase requires a critical assessment of the result of an LCA study, encompassing life cycle inventory (LCI) and life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) phases according to the goal and scope of the study. The importance of a proper interpretation of results of an LCA study is recognized by relevant standards, guides and research articles. The ISO 14044 specifies that interpretation comprises the following elements: (i) the identification of the significant issues based on the results of the LCI and LCIA phases of LCA; (ii) an evaluation that considers completeness, sensitivity and consistency checks; and (iii) the provision of conclusions, limitations and recommendations (ISO 2006b). LCA is also recognised as a reference method for decision support in the policy context. For example, in the EU context, several initiatives and pilots projects are related to the European Environmental Footprint initiative (EC 2013). Moreover, LCA has been included among the methods to be adopted for supporting policy impact assessment in the EU Better Regulation toolbox (EC 2015). In this setting, robust and sound interpretation of LCA results is a must. For example, in the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) Guide (EC 2013), it is stated Communicated by Matthias Finkbeiner. * Serenella Sala [email protected] 1
Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Via Enrico Fermi 2749; T.P. 290, 21027 Ispra, Varese, Italy
2
Section for Quantitative Sustainability Assessment (QSA), Department of Technology, Management and Economics, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
3
PRé Sustainability, Stationsplein 121, 3818 LE Amersfoort, Netherlands
4
Umicore, Broekstraat 31, 1000 Brussel, Belgium
that interpretation of the results of a PEF study serves two purposes: (i) to ensure that the performance of the PEF model corresponds to the goals and quality requirements of the study; in this sense, PEF interpretation may inform iterative improvements of the PEF model until all goals and requirements are met; and (ii) to derive robust conclusions and recommendations from the analysis, for example in support of environmental improvements. Notwithstanding that a number of methodological guidance exist on the different steps of LCA, the interpretation phase, so far, has been little systematized. This has resulted in situations, where LCA practitioners formulate conclusions and recommendations with disregard of the uncertainties or the lack of consistency underlying within the LCIA steps and across the goal and scope definition or the LCI phases. The lack of comprehensive guidance for the interpretation phase is alarming as LCA
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