Development of a life-cycle impact assessment methodology linked to the Planetary Boundaries framework

Abstract

To enable quantifying environmental performance of products and technologies in relation to Planetary Boundaries, there is a need for life-cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods which allow for expressing indicators of environmental impact in metrics corresponding to those of the control variables in the Planetary Boundaries framework. In this study, we present such a methodology, referred to as PB-LCIA. Characterization factors for direct use in the LCIA phase of a life cycle assessment, or other life-cycle based assessment, were developed for a total of 85 elementary flows recognized as dominant contributors to transgressing specific Planetary Boundaries. Exception was made for “biosphere integrity” and “introduction of novel entities” where a Planetary Boundary is yet to be defined for the latter and characterization models are considered immature for the former. The PB-LCIA can be used to quantify the share of the “safe operating space” that human activities occupy, as was illustrated by calculating indicator scores for about 10,600 products, technologies and services exemplifying several sectors, including materials, energy, transport, and processing. The PB-LCIA can be used by companies interested in gauging their activities against the Planetary Boundaries to support decisions that help to reduce the risk of human activities moving the Earth System out of the Holocene state.