Environmental decision making in multi-stakeholder contexts: applicability of life cycle thinking in development planning and implementation

According to the targets set for sustainability, integrating the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs is one of the main goals for development projects. A major challenge in the development field is cross-sectoral integrated planning and achieving multi-stakeholder consensus for collaborative joint projects, especially when sustainability is a goal. This increases the complexity of the multi-stakeholder interaction in decision making and requires enhanced mechanisms for stakeholder participation, coordination, and commitment beyond narrow self-interest. A critical aspect in the decision making process is to enable stakeholders to not only interpret and make decisions based on expert judgments, but also to appropriately involve the relevant parties in the research and decision making process. Therefore, scientific analyses in multi-stakeholder contexts have to be more transparent, participatory, and stakeholder-based in order to provide useful information to assist responsible decision making.This paper presents an outline of a stakeholder-based life cycle assessment approach that can be used to support sustainable decision making in multi-stakeholder contexts. The framework is discussed and compared to other common methods used to support environmental decision making in development projects. We argue that the fundamental concept of life cycle thinking can be effectively used to incorporate stakeholders in the research and decision making process, which can lead to more comprehensive, yet achievable assessments in collaboration with stakeholders. Life cycle thinking is not just a way to examine environmental impacts of activities, but also a way to comprehend and visualize a broader set of upstream and downstream consequences of decisions in development planning and implementation. A life cycle framework including the mapping of stakeholder involvement at each activity in upstream and downstream stages would give stakeholders a holistic view that they otherwise may not have.     

The application of life cycle assessment to design

This paper explores the practical application of life cycle assessment (LCA) to product system development. While life cycle assessment methods have been studied and demonstrated extensively over the last two decades, their application to product design and development has not been critically addressed. Many organizational and operational factors limit the integration of the three LCA components (inventory analysis, impact assessment and improvement assessment) with product development. Design of the product system can be considered a synthesis of individual decisions and choices made by the design team, which ultimately shape the system's environmental profile. The environmental goal of life cycle design is to minimize the aggregate environmental impacts associated with the product system. Appropriate environmental information must be supplied to decision makers throughout each stage of the development process to achieve this goal. LCA can serve as a source of this information, but informational requirements can vary as the design moves from its conceptual phase, where many design choices are possible, to its detailed design and implementation. Streamlined approaches and other tools, such as design checklists, are essential. The practical use of this tool in product development also depends on the nature and complexity of the product system (e.g. new vs. established), the product development cycle (time-to-market constraints), availability of technical and financial resources, and the design approach (integrated vs. serial). These factors will influence the role and scope of LCA in product development. Effective communication and evaluation of environmental information and the integration of this information with cost, performance, cultural and legal criteria will also be critical to the success of design initiatives based on the life cycle framework. An overview of several of these design initiatives will be presented.     

Towards science in support of decision making: characterizing the supply of carbon cycle science

As concern about climate change grows, so does interest in deliberately managing the carbon cycle to reduce atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. Given the scientific and technical nature of knowledge of the carbon cycle, one would expect that carbon science would be directly of use to society in considering this objective. However, carbon science is not currently organized or conducted in such a way that it can be usable to the wide diversity of decision makers who might potentially be involved in managing the carbon cycle. This paper reviews the science policies and actors governing the production or “supply” of carbon cycle science, and suggests alternatives for enabling the supply to better meet demand.     

动态生命周期评价的研究与应用现状

生命周期评价（LCA）在理论和实际应用中存在一些局限性,包括清单和评价方法缺乏时间维度和空间维度,主要表现为缺乏对产品能源系统随时间变化的考虑,使用静态的过时的清单数据而非基于时间的动态生命周期清单数据,以及影响评价方面缺乏动态特征因子的选择和计算方法.动态生命周期评价（DLCA）是针对工业和环境系统的时间和空间变化的动态建模过程的评价方法,可大大提高传统生命周期评价的科学性和准确性.本文从3个方面对动态生命周期评价方法进行总结和评述,即将时间信息作为不确定因素的动态建模分析;生产过程或污染物排放的实时数据的获取;基于时间分化的动态特征因子的影响评价方法.通过目前的动态生命周期评价的研究现状来看,其方法框架并不统一,另外缺乏科学的时间分化的LCI计算的数学模型和软件以及生命周期影响评价的建模解决方案.因此,本文对DLCA未来的发展进行展望,以期为LCA方法的研究、应用、发展和完善提供更多的支持.     

战略环评为科学决策服务

概述了战略环评的内容、实施程序,对比我国传统的项目环境影响评价的局限性及历史教训,指出开展战略环评的必要性,建立相应的配套政策,以便更好地为各项重大决策服务,促进促进经济与社会的可持续发展.     

沿海水环境决策支持系统的研制与应用

从沿海ＷＥＤＳＳ的系统目标和要求着手，提出并论述了沿海ＷＥＤＳＳ的系统结构设计，并在此基础上建立了沿海ＷＥＤＳＳ，从而使ＧＩＳ，环境信息，预测模型和决策支持合为一体，最后介绍了该系统在大亚湾开发区环评中的应用。     

基于多目标决策的水污染负荷分配方法

为科学、合理地配置汇流区域的水污染负荷,从经济最优性、公平性综合决策角度,构建了一个以区域环境经济收益最大化、水污染负荷削减费用和加权综合基尼系数等最小化为目标的水污染负荷分配多目标决策优化模型,并将该模型应用于巢湖流域COD削减负荷分摊中.计算得到合肥市、肥东县、肥西县、巢湖市、庐江县、无为县、含山县、和县和舒城县等...     

Development of multi-criteria decision making model for remanufacturing technology portfolio selection

Remanufacturing represents a business opportunity and in many cases a means to promote environmental sustainability. To help enterprises economically and effectively implement remanufacturing, a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) model for selecting remanufacturing technology is developed. The model considers remanufacturing technology portfolios. The enterprise benefits associated with each portfolio, including economic and environmental benefits, are evaluated using six main criteria: cost, quality, time, service, resource consumption, and environmental impact. In addition, the synergies among the different types of technologies for each remanufacturing technology portfolio are also considered. The pair-wise comparison approach of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is employed for remanufacturing technology portfolio selection. An illustrative example is provided to lend insights into the application of this methodology.     

Screening life cycle assessment (LCA) of tomato ketchup: a case study

A screening life cycle assessment (LCA) of tomato ketchup has been carried out. The purpose was to identify ‘hot-spots', that is parts of the life-cycle that are important to the total environmental impact. The system investigated includes agricultural production, industrial refining, packaging, transportation, consumption and waste management. Energy use and emissions were quantified and some of the potential environmental effects assessed. Packaging and food processing were found to be hot-spots for many, but not all, of the impact categories investigated. For primary energy use, the storage time in a refrigerator (household phase) was found to be a critical parameter.     

面向生命周期评价的土地利用生态影响评价方法

初步建立了面向生命周期评价(LCA)的适合我国土地利用生态影响评价的指标、特征化因子和影响大小计量模型.评价指标包括土地利用时间、面积、净初级生产力、土壤有机质含量和地形坡度.分别研究确定了基于NPP、土壤有机质含量和地形坡度的特征化因子及其当量系数.提出了基于顶级群落理论的土地利用生态影响评价计量模型.案例应用表明,提出的方法可为我国开展土地利用的LCA提供初步的技术框架和相关参数.     

General principles for life cycle assessment databases

This paper examines the minimum essential requirements that must be satisfied when a database is established for life cycle inventory calculations. It shows that the format of the database is governed by the physical requirements of the system being examined, by the need to include iterative calculations within the analysis and by the demands of the final data presentation.     

A model for supply chains environmental performance analysis and decision making

The need to include environmental criteria in the analysis of supply chains is increasingly recognized as a result both of limitations that are posed by legislation and regulations as well as of various motivations that a company may have. A decision model is proposed in this paper based on environmental performance indicators, which may support decision making in the case of supply chains in the presence of environmental considerations. The model uses a set of principles applicable to supply chains design and operation available from previous research work.     

技术生命周期评价进展及其在碳中和领域应用趋势分析

技术生命周期评价可为技术改进、科学决策及碳中和提供方法支撑。利用CiteSpace软件研究了近20年技术生命周期评价研究特点、变化趋势、重点领域、演进路径及其在碳中和领域的研究进展。结果表明：技术生命周期评价相关文献出版量整体呈上升趋势,2006年以后进入快速发展阶段;发文主要集中在工程学、生态学、环境科学、环境工程、其他理工学科、能源与燃料和绿色可持续发展技术等学科。生命周期评价的研究对象、评价方法及应用是近年来的研究热点,能源生产技术、碳足迹及废物处理技术是技术生命周期评价的研究重点,体系、模型、框架、不确定性等方面是评价方法完善要点,方法适用性开发和综合性评判成为后续发展方向,提高可持续、效能、决策支撑的有效性是提高生命周期评价技术应用的突破点。碳足迹的生命周期评价可用于指导碳中和目标的实现及路径选择,将其他评估方法与生命周期评估相结合正在成为一种趋势,可提升技术全面综合评估的准确性及有效性,为实现碳中和目标提供有效参考。

     

Normative ethics and methodology for life cycle assessment

Prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) provides information on the environmental consequences of individual actions. Retrospective LCA provides information about the environmental properties of the life cycle investigated and of its subsystems. In this paper we analyse the links between the choice of methodology and different theories of normative moral philosophy. The choice of electricity data in an LCA of a conference site with local hydropower production is discussed as an illustration. The two types of LCA can be related to different theories on the characteristics of a good action. Each type of LCA, as well as each of the moral theories, can be criticised from the alternative point of departure. Decisions based on retrospective LCA can have environmentally undesirable consequences. On the other hand, prospective LCA can appear unfair and result in environmentally sub-optimised systems. Both types of LCA also have methodological limitations. We cannot conclude that one type is superior to the other, but the choice of methodology should be consistent with the information sought in the LCA.     

中国产品生命周期影响评价方法研究

讨论了确定中国产品生命周期影响评价所需的标准化基准和权重的确定方法和程序，包括产品系统环境影响潜值计算，数据标准化，加权评估 以及计算环境影响负荷和资源耗竭系数4个步骤。标准化基准采用1990年中国人均环境影响总潜值来表达，而权重采用1990年的基准与2000年中国政府的削减目标所估算的基准之间的比值计算。     

Attributional life cycle assessment of woodchips for bioethanol production

Besides the apparent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, other important factors contributing to the renewed interest in biofuels are energy security concerns and the need of sustainable transportation fuel. Nearly 30% of the annual CO₂ emissions in the U.S. come from the transportation sector and more than half of the fuel is imported. Biofuels appear to be a promising option to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and the reliance on imported oil concomitantly. The interest on (ligno) cellulosic ethanol is gaining momentum as corn-based ethanol is criticized for using agricultural outputs for fuel production. Among many lignocellulosic feedstocks, woodchips is viewed as one of the most promising feedstocks for producing liquid transportation fuels. The renewable and carbon neutral nature of the feedstocks, similar chemical and physical properties to gasoline, and the low infrastructure cost due to the availability of fuel flex vehicles and transportation networks make (ligno) cellulosic bioethanol an attractive option. An in-depth LCA of woodchips shows that harvesting and woodchips processing stage and transportation to the facility stage emit large amount of environmental pollutants compared to other life cycle stages of ethanol production. Our analysis also found that fossil fuel consumption and respiratory inorganic effects are the two most critical environmental impact categories in woodchips production. We have used Eco-indicator 99 based cradle-to-gate LCA method with a functional unit of 4 m³ of dry hardwood chips production.     

支撑资源循环可持续性评价的经济决策工具——生命周期成本分析的发展与应用

对接经济系统和环境系统是支撑循环经济决策的关键,而可持续性评价以及在传统生命周期影响评价（LCA）基础上发展起来的生命周期可持续性评价（LCSA）是重要决策支撑工具.近年来对可持续性评价的关注使得生命周期成本分析（LCC）及其在资源循环决策中的应用得以快速发展.大量研究表明LCC是有效的经济决策支撑工具.但是由于"生命周期成本分析"的其他相关称谓与LCC术语上模糊,以及成本效益分析（CBA）等相关成本评估工具在方法用途上的类似,使得在实际研究中LCC的相关概念混淆甚至错误使用的现象时有发生.针对如上研究背景,本文采用文献研究法和案例分析法,旨在厘清LCC及相关术语的概念和内涵,并为LCC以及LCSA在未来的研究提出实用性建议.首先,通过文献研究回顾了LCC的发展脉络,厘清了在人们对社会和环境问题关注下,LCC逐渐从普通的成本评估发展成为LCSA核心部分的发展路径.同时,使用Citespace对国内和国际2000-2017年LCC相关论文发表情况进行图谱分析,发现和国内相比,国际期刊的LCC相关研究已经从概念探索和企业成本控制发展到了特定领域系统的成本优化研究.进一步,引入"可持续性三支柱"的概念来阐释LCSA的经济、环境、社会三个维度以及它与LCC的关系,然后区分了LCC的类似术语的定义和成本范围,并阐述了与传统CBA方法的差别.在此基础上,以欧盟VEEP项目为案例,从定性和定量两个维度阐释了LCC的分析视角和计算过程.最后,对LCC在中国未来的研究方向提出了具体建议,包括：扩大运用领域,标准化,研究方法间的结合,以及数据库和软件工具的开发.     

Product modular design incorporating life cycle issues - Group Genetic Algorithm (GGA) based method

Traditional design methods lead to serious environmental problems because of the oversight of life cycle issues such as recycling. For solving these problems, a new modular design method is proposed with the considerations of not only the traditional function related attributes, but also the life cycle related ones. These attributes form what we call Modular Driving Forces (MDFs). The proposed method first determines what MDFs should be included and what their weights should be. Then the component to component relations with each specific MDF are generated and expressed in a matrix. After that, the comprehensive relations between components with different MDFs are established with the introduction of a comprehensive relation matrix for further modular optimization. Each element in the comprehensive matrix denotes the relation of every two components affected by all the MDFs. Finally, Group Genetic Algorithm (GGA) is employed to conduct modular optimization. The modular object adaptive function constructed for GGA optimization is to maximize the interactions between components within modules. The proposed method is explained by a case study of a refrigerator. Sensitivity analysis shows that the proposed method is robust.