The UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiatives flagship has published the “Global Guidance for Life Cycle Impact Assessment Indicators Volume 1” which goes a long way in identifying the “current best practice”, and recommended characterization factors in a variety of impact areas:
Climate change;
Health impacts of fine particulate matter;
Water use impacts and
Land use impacts on biodiversity.
The work is the culmination of three years of activity to find the best available models and seek consensus on their adoption with a broad audience from across the globe and from different sectors. The working groups included a number of Australian participants including ALCAS President Tim Grant and Brad Riddout.
What makes this guidance so special is the global consensus-building process, and its endorsement by an international partnership. Such robust and international backing should make these indicators especially attractive to be used in policy and reporting frameworks requiring recognition and stability.
The production of volume 2 is currently underway with a series of task working groups in resource depletion, human and eco-toxicity, eutrophication and acidification and ecosystem services.
People wanting to be involved in these working groups should contact the life cycle initiative.
Click here to download Volume 1.