You are here:
LIFE CYCLE IMPACT ASSESSMENT: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE, II
Citation:
BARE, JANE CRUM. LIFE CYCLE IMPACT ASSESSMENT: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE, II. Presented at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, March 28, 2005.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public
Description:
Research within the field of Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) has greatly improved since the work of Heijungs and Guinee in 1992. Methodologies are currently available to address specific locations within North America, Europe, and Asia. Internationally, researchers are working together within SETAC working groups and within the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative, however, some geographical differences exist in regulatory and political direction, data availability to support the impact assessment models, and perspective. An effort is underway within the UNEP / SETAC Life Cycle Initiative to provide additional LCIA recommendations about the direction of research and selection of methodologies. Some participants within the Initiative would like to standardize Life Cycle Impact Assessment so that a single model will be used for all LCAs. Other researchers would simply appreciate additional guidance on individual impact categories. This and other lightening rod issues will be explored from various perspectives, including geographical, political, and application-oriented. Within this exploration, the difference between science-based and various value-based assumptions will be discussed. Individual impact categories will be explored, with some of the categories (e.g., ozone depletion and global warming) closer to international consensus than others (e.g., human health). The question and issues surrounding the difficulty in achieving an international consensus will also be explored.