Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.3390/su131910881
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) A review on the use of life cycle methodologies and tools in sustainable regional development
Author Balkau, F.; Bezama, A.; Leroy-Parmentier, N.; Sonnemann, G.
Source Titel Sustainability
Year 2021
Department BIOENERGIE
Volume 13
Issue 19
Page From art. 10881
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Keywords life cycle management; life cycle assessment; life cycle approaches; life cycle toolbox; territorial development; sustainable development; sustainable regions; regional material flows; regional footprint
Abstract This review examines how life cycle methodologies are presently used by regional authorities in their sustainable development programmes. The review incorporates formal methods of life cycle assessment (LCA) as well as non-standardised approaches like life cycle management (LCM). The review describes the sustainability agenda facing regions, and a ‘life cycle toolbox’ that can be used at territorial level. Several parallel literature research methods were used to collect representative examples from around the world of regional life cycle approaches, identifying a variety of common and still-evolving methodologies used to address sustainability issues and applications. Results show that regional use of various life cycle methodologies from the toolbox is growing although scope is often constrained to short life chains, and with limited consideration of secondary (“spillover”) impacts. The conclusions confirm earlier findings that current life cycle tools are not always ideally structured for public sector organisations, with some not yet mature for addressing regional sustainability issues, such as biodiversity, land use and social impacts. Regional data aggregation is currently insufficient for certain methods. Further research is needed to adapt certain life cycle methodologies for regional application, but many available tools could already be further applied than is currently the case.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=25138
Balkau, F., Bezama, A., Leroy-Parmentier, N., Sonnemann, G. (2021):
A review on the use of life cycle methodologies and tools in sustainable regional development
Sustainability 13 (19), art. 10881 10.3390/su131910881