Terminology for future-oriented life cycle assessment: review and recommendations
Other text in scientific journal, 2024
MethodsĀ Existing definitions of future-oriented LCA terms were reviewed and analyzed. Workshops were held where defining differences of future-oriented LCA terms were discussed.
Results Temporal positionality and technology maturity appear to be two critical aspects of future-oriented LCA. Prospective and ex-ante LCA are similar, with the possible difference that ex-ante LCA always involves an increase in technology maturity in the future. Considering the notable similarities, it seems reasonable to converge terms to mitigate field fragmentation and avoid terminology confusion.
Conclusions To denote LCA studies with a future temporal positionality, we recommend using the term prospective LCA, defined as "LCA that models the product system at a future point in time relative to the time at which the study is conducted". Furthermore, since technology maturity is clearly a critical aspect for prospective LCA, we recommend prospective LCA studies to clearly define the maturity of the technologies modeled in the production system.
Ex-ante
Emerging technologies
Prospective
Retrospective
Anticipatory
Author
Rickard Arvidsson
Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Environmental Systems Analysis
Magdalena Svanström
Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Environmental Systems Analysis
Björn Sandén
Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Environmental Systems Analysis
Nils Thonemann
Leiden University
Bernhard Steubing
Leiden University
Stefano Cucurachi
Leiden University
International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment
0948-3349 (ISSN) 1614-7502 (eISSN)
Vol. 29 4 607-613Subject Categories
Other Environmental Engineering
DOI
10.1007/s11367-023-02265-8