We cannot deny the role of LCA in stimulating the green economy and sustainable economic cycles as a way of assessing the environmental, economic, and social impact of a product or service throughout its life cycle, and I believe that current LCA systems have been developed and refined and are very widely used in the private and public sectors. I believe that LCA allows business decision-makers to understand the wider sustainability impacts and choose products with minimal environmental impact or change their investment decisions, governments to enhance the overall environmental benefits of industry and services to society through LCA, and consumers LCA can provide them with better quality environmentally friendly products and more sustainability-oriented lifestyles. But is relying on the products quantified by LCA the best way to solve all environmentally relevant problems?
Thus, I envision a world where some limitations of LCA can be minimized as researchers and companies implementing LCAs will conduct more specific and targeted assessments, then compare the impact of the products on public health and the local environment. LCA research is largely based on databases and simplified models, as only clear and transparent data information can guarantee the timeliness of assessments and conclusions, comparative LCAs that rely on outdated data or data generated in different regions may not provide a reliable baseline for comparison. I also envision a future where the party conducting the assessment will consider or weigh up other options for environmental benefits in addition to the specific scenarios provided in the LCA. In terms of sustainable businesses or NGOs that use LCA on a global scale, my vision is that the cost of using LCA databases and maintenance will be relatively reduced in the future, or the governments of developing countries should have certain incentives or subsidies for researchers building domestic LCA databases.
I support that there should be more collaboration between LCA experts and researchers in other specialized fields to make more LCA analyses available to the general public to encourage environmental policy in government and product choice by the public. They should also actively communicate with the public to raise awareness of LCA issues. Academic institutions have a responsibility to educate and train environmental practitioners to apply LCA and mainstream LCA into product development, marketing, and decision-making.
That's the key: communicating effectively so everyone is aware of the issues and therefore is better able to help resolve them. Unfortunately we've seen that thus far good communication is much easier said than done.
I agree with your ideas! I think specifically your point on raising awareness on LCA issues is really important. As we make these assessments available and transparent to the public, we would shift the public opinions towards more eco-friendly options, and with the public pressure, more legislations and fundings would be able to go towards refining LCA systems and improving the assessments for the future.
LCA does need more consistent methodologies and expanded temporal and geographic scope. I liked your mention of comparing the benefits of different courses of action, that sounds like a really good idea!