Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Conditions for the Broad Application of Prospective Life Cycle Inventory Databases

Version 1 : Received: 23 March 2023 / Approved: 24 March 2023 / Online: 24 March 2023 (04:11:41 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Steubing, B.; Mendoza Beltran, A.; Sacchi, R. Conditions for the Broad Application of Prospective Life Cycle Inventory Databases. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 2023, doi:10.1007/s11367-023-02192-8. Steubing, B.; Mendoza Beltran, A.; Sacchi, R. Conditions for the Broad Application of Prospective Life Cycle Inventory Databases. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 2023, doi:10.1007/s11367-023-02192-8.

Abstract

Purpose Prospective life cycle assessment (pLCA) is a key method for providing environmental decision support for future technologies. The specific technology under study is often modeled by the practitioner (the so-called foreground system), whereas data for supply chains are sourced from life cycle inventory databases (the so-called background system). Within pLCA, it is paramount to consider possible future developments for both foreground and background systems to avoid a temporal mismatch between the specific technology under study and the wider economy, which could lead to incorrect conclusions. Therefore, and given the importance of future-oriented environmental decision support, efforts to develop prospective life cycle inventory (pLCI) databases have recently increased. However, there is still much to be improved to realize the widespread use of these databases and to have a stronger real-world effect on how future technology is designed. Methods This paper summarizes recent developments and structures the information chain behind pLCI databases. We then discuss conditions for the broad application of pLCI databases, and we propose priorities and ways forward to overcome existing challenges to foster the use of pLCI databases. Results The conditions are scientific integrity, usefulness to LCA practitioners, accessibility, usability, interpretability, and a continuous improvement process in which core stakeholders coordinate efforts to streamline the generation, sharing, and use of pLCI databases. Conclusions Priority should be given to installing a continuous process to improve the coverage and consistency of pLCI databases, to improve related guidance and documentation, and to remove practical barriers relating to the access and usability of pLCI databases in LCA software.

Keywords

prospective life cycle assessment; scenarios; future background system; ex-ante LCA; integrated assessment models

Subject

Medicine and Pharmacology, Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases

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