Normative ethics and methodology for life cycle assessment |
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| Institution: | 1. Division of Energy Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden;2. Division of Environmental Systems Analysis, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden;1. School of Metallurgy Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243002, China;2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7491, Norway;3. SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, Trondheim 7465, Norway;1. Research Group Sustainable Systems Engineering (STEN), Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium;2. Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium;1. AgResearch, Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand;2. Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand;3. New Zealand Life Cycle Management Centre, c/o Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand;4. Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand |
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| Abstract: | 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. |
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