Prospective life cycle assessment as a tool for environmentally responsible innovation
Abstract
Life cycle assessment (LCA), which provides a framework for assessing the potential environmental impact of technologies across their life cycle, has been identified as a potential tool for environmentally responsible innovation (RI). Traditional LCA approaches are insufficient for RI because they tend to be retrospective and underemphasize stakeholder engagement. Recent framing studies on LCA of emerging technology, which includes prospective LCA, suggest that uncertainty, data availability, methodological challenges, applicable evaluations techniques, and type of decisions supported are related to technology and market maturity. This study evaluates this framing based on two prospective LCAs of emerging technologies conducted by the authors. Uncertainty and methodological challenges were related to technology readiness. However, data availability was a challenge regardless of technology maturity, and was best addressed by engagement with technology developers and end-users. Furthermore, questions explored and evaluation techniques used were more diverse than those reported by the framing studies and were related to both analyst and stakeholder interests and technology and market maturity. While initial framing provides important guidance towards incorporating anticipation in prospective LCA, future interactions must not overlook the importance of engaging with stakeholders to guide model development and inform environmentally responsible development and innovation.
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Prospective assessments require the use of expert knowledge, projected estimations and databases.
“The use of prospective assessments require the use of expert knowledge, projected estimations and databases [10 -12].”
From Assessing the future prospects of emerging technologies for shipping and aviation biofuels: A critical review (2024) · cites this paper as [12]
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Arias, A., Nika, C.-E., Vasilaki, V., Feijoo, G., Moreira, M. T., & Katsou, E. (2024) · Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.rser.2024.114427 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
- Authors
- Yousefzadeh, Z., & Lloyd, S. M.
- Affiliations
- Concordia University (CA)
- ORCID
- Lloyd, Shannon M.
- Venue
- 2021 IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS)
- Publisher
- IEEE
- Published
- 2021-10-28
- Pages
- 1-9
- OpenAlex
- W4200501480
- Cited by
- 7
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1
- FWCI
- 2.65
- Type
- conference paper
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS) (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Sustainable Supply Chain Management
- Keywords
- prospective life cycle assessment, emerging technologies, technology readiness, uncertainty, data availability, stakeholder engagement, environmental impact assessment, anticipation
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