Improving the Applicability of LCA in Europe

Transcription

1 1 European Platform on Life Cycle Assessment Improving the Applicability of LCA in Europe Brussels, 27 September 2007 Workshop Governance and LCA In the framework of CALCAS Coordination Action Ugo Pretato European Commission JRC IES

2 Court of Auditors Court of Justice The European Parliament EU Institutions The Council of Ministers Committee of the Regions Economic and Social Committee 2 European Commission (27 Commissioners, 36 DGs) SG. RELEX ENTR ENV SANCO RTD JRC IES IPSC IPTS IE..

3 3 JRC Mission Statement to provide customer-driven scientific and technical support for the conception, development, implementation and monitoring of EU policies. As a service of the European Commission, the JRC functions as a reference centre of science and technology for the Union. Close to the policy-making process, it serves the common interest of the Member States, while being independent of special interests, whether private or national.

4 4 Life cycle related policies in the EU Framing policies (support-mandate given to JRC for European Platform on LCA) Sustainable Consumption and Production Action Plan, SCP (devel. on-going) Thematic Strategy on the Prevention and Recycling of Waste (2005) Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources (2005) Communication on Integrated Product Policy, IPP (2003) Specific instruments Sustainability Assessment of Technologies, SAT (devel. on-going) Eco-label and EMAS regulations (on-going revisions) Framework Directive on Waste; Waste Directives (on-going revisions) Directive on Eco-design for Energy-using products, EuP Environmental Technologies Action Plan Communication, ETAP Green (public) procurement, GPP Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive (national implementation) EU's FP7 research projects link to ELCD-conform LCAs (waste, nanotechnologies)

5 5 Initial mandate of the European Platform on Life Cycle Assessment European Commission, Integrated Product Policy Communication (IPP), 2003: "LCA is the best framework for assessing the potential environmental impacts of products, but the debate is ongoing about good practice" "The European Commission will develop... Handbook on best practice; best attainable consensus among stakeholders Co-ordination to make data more accessible and systematically collected Directory of LCA databases to be updated at regular intervals Platform to facilitate communication and exchanges"

6 6 Five guiding principles Best attainable stakeholder consensus Starting from existing LCA standards, practice and knowledge Scientifically robust Practical and affordable Long-term support

7 7 Supporting Business and Government in Europe: European Platform on Life Cycle Assessment Project initiation and coordination: European Commission, DG JRC with DG Environment Initial phase: 2005 to 2008 Key customers: European Business - EC services - Member States Deliverables: European Reference Life Cycle Data System (ELCD) Handbook of recommended LCA practice LCA information hub and communication platform Online at

8 8 Implementation and stakeholder involvement In-house work at DG JRC-IES, in collaboration with DG Environment External service contracts Early stakeholder involvement - EC-internal steering group and IPP Regular Meeting - Advisory groups (EU Industry, LCA tool/database developers, LCIA experts) - National LCA projects, UNEP Subsequent public stakeholder consultation

9 9 Early stakeholder involvement Purpose: Improve quality and harmonisation status of deliverables ("best attainable consensus") before they go to public stakeholder consultation; support dissemination "EC-internal Steering Group" (Commission services, EEA, CEN/CENELEC) and "IPP Regular Meeting" (EU Member States) "European Business Advisory Group" of LCI data providing European-level industry associations (9 members: ACE, CEWEP, EAA, ECI, EUROFER, FEFCO, IMA-Europe, MARCOGAZ, PlasticsEurope; 22 potential further members in discussion) "LCIA Method Developers Advisory Group" of developers providing their impact factors documented in the ELCD format (6 members: developers of CML 2001, Eco-indicator 99, EDIP97 and EDIP2003, EPS, Impact 2002+, LUCAS, ReCiPe) "LCA Tool and Database Developers Advisory Group" of tool and database developers, that implement an import/export interface to the ELCD data format into their systems (15 members: developers of BREEAM, CMLCA, EcoSME, EDIP, EIME, GaBi, KCL-Eco, LCA-Evaluator, LCAit, LEGEP, MIPS, SimaPro, UMBERTO) International co-operation with National and International activities (MoU with Thai National LCA database project, UNEP/SETAC LC Initiative; further national projects in discussion)

10 10 Overview of specific deliverables and activities (on-going work / support contracts) Enhanced ELCD core database (with reference LCI data and elementary flows) Recommended life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) factors and guidance document LCA handbook of recommended methods Review requirements ELCD format finalisation / finetuning; data exchange testing Further developed ELCD online-system Expanded LCA Resources Directory, terminology, intro-texts etc. Further harmonised and reviewed ELCD core data sets Facilitating independent WWW-network of ELCD-consistent databases (with ELCD core database as one element)

11 11 ELCD core database enhancement (09/ /2008 Contractor LBP/PE + sc.) Approach followed and timing of support contract Drafting of "Nomenclature and structure" report (based on JRC-IES document) Consultation of Advisory Groups of European Platform on LCA - see "X" ) Presentation at public stakeholder consultation workshop Finalisation of "Nomenclature and structure" report First version of the reference elementary flow data sets Final version of the reference elementary flow data sets (In parallel): enhancement of ELCD core database, first round Enhancement of ELCD core database, second round month X

12 12 Project "ELCD core database enhancement" Finalisation of reference elementary flow data sets Extension by further core materials, energy, transport, and waste services LCI data sets Replacement of LCI data sets from non-industry sources by industry-approved data Update of some LCI data sets Further harmonisation of LCI data sets Sub-sequent work 2008/2009: Further methodological harmonisation (LCI modelling, elementary flows, background data), applying the recommendations of the LCA handbook section for background data (= "ELCD quality requirements") Life cycle impact assessment characterisation factors identified and integrated Third-party review

13 13 LCI data content of first (non-reference) version of ELCD core database Materials: Metals: 3 aluminium, 2 copper, 4 steel, stainless steel Inorganic chemicals: NaCl, NaOH, HCl Plastics: ABS, PA6, PA6.6, PBT, PC, PE, PET, PMMA, PP, PS, PVC. 21 variants / routes Other packaging: corrugated board Constuction materials: 6 wood-based Energy: Electricity: 26 country-specific mixes plus 2 renewables Fuels: 8 fossil fuels Thermal energy: from 3 fuels Transport: 5 road, 1 rail, 3 water, 2 air in each two variants (w/wo fuel) End-of-Life treatment: Incineration: of 16 materials Land filling: of household waste and of inert waste First version online Blue = LCI data sets from initial European Business AG members: Black = data from GaBi DB of PE INTERNATIONAL and other sources; to be replaced by industry-owned or -approved data sets

14 14 LCA handbook (08/ /2008. Contractor: IPL-DTU, Denmark) Approach followed and timing of support contract Drafting of LCA methods overview and analysis report Drafting of LCA handbook Two small expert meetings for targeted input Consultation of Advisory Groups of European Platform on LCA - see "X" Finalisation of LCA methods overview and analysis report Presentation at public stakeholder consultation workshop Finalisation of LCA handbook Work-flow support tool / form for the handbook month X

15 Purpose LCA handbook - details - Provide "scope-dependent" LCA guidance along the ISO standards, for better comparability of LCA results, independently of the individual expert. 15 Scope situations differentiated (illustrative; final set to be defined) Modelling background LCI databases (i.e. applicable e.g. to the ELCD core LCI database) Modelling LCI for Environmental (Product) Declaration (EPD) Environmental weak-point analysis of a product system LCA comparison of existing products LCA calculation of scenarios resulting in future structural changes in the economy LCA calculation of scenarios resulting in future small changes in the economy Addressees LCA practitioners, LCI database developers, LCI method developers, LCA reviewers, decision supporters in industry, government, research/academia and consulting.

16 LCIA factors and LCIA methods guidance (08/ /2008. Contractor: IPL- DTU, CML, Pre Consultants and subcontractors) Drafting report on analysis of existing LCIA methods and related experiences 1st Meeting with LCIA Advsiory Group; comments from JRC-IES Finalysing report on analysis of existing LCIA methods and related experiences Consultation of Advisory Groups of European Platform on LCA - see "X" 10 small LCIA expert meetings Drafting recommended LCIA methods and factors 2nd Meeting with LCIA Advsiory Group; comments from JRC-IES Consultation of Advisory Groups of European Platform on LCA - see "X" Revising recommended LCIA methods and factors Public stakeholder consultation, comments form JRC-IES Finalysing recommended LCIA methods and factors month X X

17 17 LCT/LCA in policy formulation, implementation and evaluation From TS Natural Resources (2005): By 2008, the Commission will develop: indicators to measure progress in efficiency and productivity in the use of natural resources, including energy, resource-specific indicators to evaluate how negative environmental impacts have been decoupled from resource use, and an overall indicator to measure progress in reducing the ecological stress of resource use by the EU (eco-efficiency indicator).

18 18 Thank you very much for your interest and time! Contact: European Platform on LCA EC, DG JRC, IES, H05 T.P. 460 Via-E-Fermi Ispra (VA) Italy LCA@jrc.it Platform project, ELCD core data, LCA Directory: