Principles for life cycle inventories of land use on a global scale

Koellner, Thomas; Baan, Laura de; Beck, Tabea; Brandão, Miguel; Civit, Bárbara María; Goedkoop, Mark; Margni, Manuele; Canals, Llorenç Milà i; Müller-Wenk, Ruedi; Weidema, Bo Pedersen; Wittstock, Bastian

doi:10.1007/s11367-012-0392-0

Cited by 122 publications

(110 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…For each of the impact pathways, Table S2 (Electronic Supplementary Material) holds Excel files with the generic CFs. The calculation of those CFs is described in detail for biodiversity Souza et al 2013) and for the ecosystem services (Müller-Wenk and Brandão 2010; Brandão and Milà i Canals 2013;Saad et al 2013).…”

Section: Modelled Impact Pathwaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…New LCIA methods should be able to differentiate between all major land use types generally accounted for in LCA and specify the level of differentiation achieved. Thus, the classification suggested by Koellner et al (2013) can be used as a starting point. It is foreseeable that the same level is not achieved for all major land use types (e.g.…”

Section: Land Use and Cover Typologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Koellner et al (2013) in this special issue suggest a hierarchical regionalisation on a global scale based on the classification system of biomes and ecoregions (Olson et al 2001). Similarly to the case of land use typology, new LCIA methods for land use impacts should specify the level of biogeographical differentiation achieved.…”

Section: Biogeographical Differentiation In Land Use Impact Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The aim of the current paper is to move beyond the description of key elements by suggesting specific guidelines for a comprehensive and consistent impact assessment encompassing all pathways that originate from land use and damages on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Such guidelines are applied and exemplified throughout this special issue, first by developing a globally consistent Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) classification system ) then, by proposing new methods for the different impact pathways affecting biodiversity Souza et al 2013) and ecosystem services (Müller-Wenk and Brandão 2010;Beck et al 2010;Brandão and Milà i Canals L 2013;Saad et al 2013) and finally, by illustrating the previous new methods and recommendations in a case study on margarine production .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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UNEP-SETAC guideline on global land use impact assessment on biodiversity and ecosystem services in LCA

Koellner

Baan

Beck

et al. 2013

Int J Life Cycle Assess

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299

292

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Purpose As a consequence of the multi-functionality of land, the impact assessment of land use in Life Cycle Impact Assessment requires the modelling of several impact pathways covering biodiversity and ecosystem services. To provide consistency amongst these separate impact pathways, general principles for their modelling are provided in this paper. These are refinements to the principles that have already been proposed in publications by the UNEP-SETAC Life Cycle Initiative. In particular, this paper addresses the calculation of land use interventions and land use impacts, the issue of impact reversibility, the spatial and temporal distribution of such impacts and the assessment of absolute or relative ecosystem quality changes. Based on this, we propose a guideline to build methods for land use impact assessment in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Results Recommendations are given for the development of new characterization models and for which a series of key elements should explicitly be stated, such as the modelled land use impact pathways, the land use/cover typology covered, the level of biogeographical differentiation used for the characterization factors, the reference land use situation used and if relative or absolute quality changes are used to calculate land use impacts. Moreover, for an application of the characterisation factors (CFs) in an LCA study, data collection should be transparent with respect to the data input required from the land use inventory and the regeneration times. Indications on how generic CFs can be used for the background system as well as how spatial-based CFs can be calculated for the foreground system in a specific LCA study and how land use change is to be allocated should be detailed. Finally, it becomes necessary to justify the modelling period for which land use impacts of land transformation and occupation are calculated and how uncertainty is accounted for. Discussion The presented guideline is based on a number of assumptions: Discrete land use types are sufficient for an assessment of land use impacts; ecosystem quality remains constant over time of occupation; time and area of occupation are substitutable; transformation time is negligible; regeneration is linear and independent from land use history and landscape configuration; biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services are independent; the ecological impact is linearly increasing with the intervention; and there is no interaction between land use and other drivers such as climate change. These assumptions might influence the results of land use Life Cycle Impact Assessment and need to be critically reflected. Conclusions and recommendations In this and the other papers of the special issue, we presented the principles and recommendations for the calculation of land use impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services on a global scale. In the framework of LCA, they are mainly used for the assessment of land use impacts in the background system. The main areas for further development are the link to regional...

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Section: Modelled Impact Pathwaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Land Use and Cover Typologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Biogeographical Differentiation In Land Use Impact Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

UNEP-SETAC guideline on global land use impact assessment on biodiversity and ecosystem services in LCA

Koellner

Baan

Beck

et al. 2013

Int J Life Cycle Assess

Self Cite

299

292

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“…Although the endpoint indicators are easier to interpret, their associated level of uncertainty may be higher due to an increase in modelling, scenario and parameter complexity (Bare et al 2000). Beside the models reviewed and recommended in the ILCD (Milà i Canals et al 2007), some other models also contributed to the current status of land use modelling (Bluemer and Kylaekorpi 1998;Köllner 2003;Köllner et al 2013b;Köllner and Geyer 2013;Michelsen 2008;Müller-Wenk 1998;Saad et al 2013;Souza 2010;Souza et al 2013;Weidema and Lindeijer 2001). This paper focuses on the quantification of land use impacts in LCA of buildings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Land use impact assessment in the construction sector: an analysis of LCIA models and case study application

Allacker

Souza

Sala

2014

Int J Life Cycle Assess

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Purpose Land use is a potentially important impact category in life cycle assessment (LCA) studies of buildings. Three research questions are addressed in this paper: Is land use a decisive factor in the environmental impact of buildings?; Is it important to include the primary land use of buildings in the assessment?; and How does the environmental performance of solid structure and timber frame dwellings differ when assessed by distinct available models for quantifying land use impacts? Methods This paper compares several operational land use impact assessment models, which are subsequently implemented in an LCA case study comparing a building constructed using timber frame versus a solid structure. Different models were used for addressing the different research questions. Results and discussion The results reveal that contrasting decisions may be supported by LCA study results, depending on whether or not and how land use is included in the assessment. The analysis also highlights the need to include the building land footprint in the assessment and to better distinguish building locations in current land use impact assessment models. Conclusions Selecting land use assessment models that are most appropriate to the goals of the study is recommended as different models assess different environmental issues related to land use. In general, the combination of two land use assessment methods for buildings is recommended, i.e. soil organic matter (SOM) of Milà i Canals and Eco-indicator 99.

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Life Cycle Impact Assessment

2014

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

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This chapter is dedicated to the third phase of an LCA study, the Life 6 Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) where the life cycle inventory's information on 7 elementary flows is translated into environmental impact scores. In contrast to the 8 three other LCA phases, LCIA is in practice largely automated by LCA software, 9 but the underlying principles, models and factors should still be well understood by 10 practitioners to ensure the insight that is needed for a qualified interpretation of the 11 results. This chapter teaches the fundamentals of LCIA and opens the black box of 12 LCIA with its characterisation models and factors to inform the reader about: (1) the 13 main purpose and characteristics of LCIA, (2) the mandatory and optional steps of 14 LCIA according to the ISO standard, and (3) the science and methods underlying 15 the assessment for each environmental impact category. For each impact category, 16 the reader is taken through (a) the underlying environmental problem, (b) the 17 underlying environmental mechanism and its fundamental modelling principles, 18 (c) the main anthropogenic sources causing the problem and (d) the main methods 19 available in LCIA. An annex to this book offers a comprehensive qualitative 20 comparison of the main elements and properties of the most widely used and also 21 the latest LCIA methods for each impact category, to further assist the advanced 22practitioner to make an informed choice between LCIA methods. 25After studying this chapter, the reader should be able to: 26• Explain and discuss the process and main purposes of the LCIA phase of an 27 LCA study. 28• Distinguish and explain the mandatory and optional steps according to inter-29 national standards for LCA. 30• Differentiate and describe each of the impact categories applied in LCIA 31 regarding: 32the underlying environmental problem. 33the environmental mechanism and its fundamental modelling principles. 34the main anthropogenic sources causing the problem. 35the main methods used in LCIA. 36 37 38 39 10.1 Introduction 40 In practice, the LCIA phase is largely automated and essentially requires the 41 practitioner to choose an LCIA method and a few other settings for it via menus and 42 buttons in LCA software. However, as straightforward as that may seem, without 43 understanding a few basic, underlying principles and the meaning of the indicators, 44 neither an informed choice of LCIA method nor a meaningful and robust inter-45 pretation of LCA results is possible. However, the important extent of science and 46 its inherent multidisciplinarity frequently result in a perceived opacity of this phase. 47 This chapter intends to open the black box of LCIA with its characterisation models 48 and factors, and to accessibly explain (1) its main purpose and characteristics, 49(2) the mandatory and optional steps according to ISO and (3) the meaning and 50 handling of each impact category. While this chapter is a pedagogical and focused 51 introduction into the complex and broad aspects of LCIA, a more profound a...

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Principles for life cycle inventories of land use on a global scale

Cited by 122 publications

References 13 publications

UNEP-SETAC guideline on global land use impact assessment on biodiversity and ecosystem services in LCA

UNEP-SETAC guideline on global land use impact assessment on biodiversity and ecosystem services in LCA

Land use impact assessment in the construction sector: an analysis of LCIA models and case study application

Life Cycle Impact Assessment

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