Life cycle sustainability assessment as a metrics towards SDGs agenda 2030
Jana Gerta Backes, Marzia Traverso
Abstract
Sustainability has become increasingly important to the public. Well-known international targets and assessment approaches to a more sustainable future are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA). The SDGs are a reference for the international sustainability agenda (communication), while LCSA is a framework that considers all dimensions of sustainability in a life cycle thinking based approach. Despite general relevance and demands of combining assessment and goals, there is a gap of (consensus of) combinations of LCSA indicators and SDGs. A comprehensive best-practice example of LCSA-SDG-combination is not yet available and challenges are becoming evident, but a clear direction can be seen and is already provided for some SDGs (e.g. SDG 13), including a recommendation.