In the D17 of CALCAS project: Options for Broadening and Deepening the LCA Framework, there are a list of models given including MFA, EE-IOA, MCDM, etc. However, the models suggested in this report still look at the environmental, economic and social indicators in isolation and do not consider the complex mutual dependencies between the sustainability indicators. How can we really deepen the LCSA framework?
Article Towards application of life cycle sustainability analysis
Hi, I think that both system dynamics and ABM could be used in this context. The choice should be probably dependent on the level of heterogeneity between different stakeholders/products, local vs global impacts and occurence of emergence (ie. macro patterns from micro behaviour).
The project based on LCA is conducted in the same as manner as in the past, and as you rightly point out it has no joined up thinking across sciences and ideas.
I have been aware of this for a long time and have come to the conclusion that we must make fundamental reforms in the area of taxation primarily so as to make a mind shift change in all our thinking. Instead of isolating individual sciences , the earths life sciences are intrinsically linked to each other and we must understand that for every action taken in one area, there is a direct and indirect effect on all the other areas of earth's systems.
For example , The fossil fuel industry has just woken up to the damage that its products are doing , not just in carbon release but all the side consequences of the other products it spawns from plastics to chemicals , and the effects on marine life and soil and insect micro flora.
This is why we must link consumerism directly to natural resources by way of a Natural Resource Tax , and Ideally this would replace almost all other taxes, so taxation is then the driver to reduce climate change, environmental and ecosystem damage. This would then empower every individual to make the right choices, as damaging and polluting technologies would soon become redundant as new cleaner methods would be found.
This is the greatest challenge to mankind, how to save ourselves, the earth will continue without us, so it is entirely in our own hands to make the right choices.
As you say we need an holistic approach in all what we do, not just in the scientific community , but at home, our lifestyles, it is here we desperately need research and forward thinking.
At present we have in the UK a n election looming . and so far not one word hardly has been spoken about climate change. Nobody is taking this seriously!
We should be looking at a seismic shift in politics to account for the necessary change that have to happen , but not a dickie bird is to be seen!
Will mankind have the guts to stand up and be counted for the damage they are doing?
This is where the scientific community has to challenge politicians and corporations alike in their wisdom of maintaining the status quo.
We use Sustainability Return on Investment (S-ROI) to look at the intersection of social, environmental and economic impacts. Unlike other assessments, we use stakeholder perspective to show how a decision or comparison looks to different stakeholders, rather than creating a one-size fits none weighting scheme. Check out this introduction to S-ROI: http://earthshift.com/downloads/videos/s-roi/Intro%20to%20S-ROI.html
There are many ways one can go to broaden or deepen — it so depends on the purpose – is it for measuring, exploring, testing alternatives..? In addition to the various quantitative methods mentioned above, there is also the option of qualitative studý of the social dimension and issues along the product chain. This is the path less taken, but nevertheless a flexible one. Example of a qualitative study life cycle study: Afrane, George, et al. "A product chain organisation study of certified cocoa supply." 6th International Conference on Life Cycle Management, LCM2013, 25-28 August 2013, Göteborg. 2013 ; an overview of approaches in various disciplines with regard to product chain study: Boons, Frank, Henrikke Baumann, and Jeremy Hall. "Conceptualizing sustainable development and global supply chains." Ecological Economics 83 (2012): 134-143..
Article Conceptualizing Sustainable Development and Global Supply Chains
Conference Paper A product chain organisation study of certified cocoa supply
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