Promoting life cycle assessment in Azerbaijan

Abstract

The economic reforms and industrial modernization programs realized in the past two decades have led to rapid economic growth in Azerbaijan during this period. However, transition from pure economic growth to sustainable development that incorporates social and environmental dimensions alongside economic ones will require adoption of sustainable development principles that can be supported through life cycle based-approaches. This study explores the opportunities for supporting life cycle approaches in Azerbaijan and the driving forces that would enable their widespread application. Within this context, international treaties and conventions on sustainable development and climate change, transboundary partnership programs, particularly in energy sector, and projects run by multinational companies are examined as potential drivers of life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle management (LCM) application in the country. Additionally, higher education institutions of Azerbaijan are reviewed in terms of their capacity for building life cycle thinking into curricula and establishing LCA collaboration network and incorporating life cycle concepts into national energy and infrastructure projects are evaluated as possible routes for promoting life cycle applications in the country. It is concluded that developing and including LCA and LCM subjects in environment-related programs in higher education that are currently focused on more traditional subjects such as ecological chemistry, environmental law and geographic ecology and establishment of a collaboration network will increase the capacity of local stakeholders who, in turn, may serve as partners in multilateral development projects that would not only contribute to the achievement of national sustainable development targets but also enable widespread application of life cycle approaches in Azerbaijan.