Using LCA in environmental decision-making

Environmental decision-making is a quite complex affair. Not only does it need effectively to consider thousands of interrelated product systems, but also to take into account the different interrelated environmental compartments (air, water and soil), different geographical conditions (climate, types of soils, etc.) and the numerous interrelated animal and plant species. Additionally, environmental decisionmaking requires a life-cycle approach: each product system needs to be ‘managed’ across its life cycle, comprising all material and energy flows throughout raw material extraction, suppliers’ plants, manufacturers’ plants, transport and distribution networks, customers, consumers and eventually waste treatment and disposal. Often, different independent business entities will be responsible for the individual aspects of this overall system.