The Life Cycle Initiative collaborates with 2.-0 LCA Consultants, PRé Consultants for this project, funded by the Life Cycle Initiative funding partners. The objective of ‘ Linking UN SDGs to life cycle impact pathway frameworks’ is to develop a clear link between the top-down process that led to the creation of the SDGs and all the bottom-up knowledge, data and methodology in the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment area. The scope includes a range of options ranging from qualitative to screening approaches to fully quantified end-point metrics solutions. This link would allow companies to measure their contribution to the SDGs.
The project will develop an actionable and rational method for businesses and governments to integrate the SDGs into decision-making and progress monitoring and will therefore substantially help to streamline and coordinate action and increase efficiency in implementing the 2030 Agenda. The outcomes will also be useful for streamlining and harmonization of sustainability reporting.
Four reports were produced in 2020:
- SDGs 12 (Responsible Sustainable Consumption and Production)
- SDG 14 (Life Below Water)
- SDG 15 (Life on Land)
- SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
Working documents include:
- Making the SDGs Relevant to Business (2018), a working document looking at the existing knowledge on the linking of SDGs to business needs and the role of LCA in meeting the needs and filling the gaps.
- LCA-based Assessment of the Sustainable Development Goals (2018), is a working document that elaborates on the application and expected results of the LCSS and LCSA. It updates readers on the general steps to be taken for both approaches, describes screening and assessment processes and outlines the next steps in the project.