NDLI: Integrated assessment of environmental impact of Europe in 2010: data sources and extrapolation strategies for calculating normalisation factors

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Sala, Serenella Benini, Lorenzo Mancini, Lucia Pant, Rana
Copyright Year	2015
Abstract	Assessing comprehensively the overall environmental impacts of a region remains a major challenge. Within life cycle assessment (LCA), this evaluation is performed calculating normalisation factors (NFs) at different scales. Normalisation represents an optional step of LCA according to ISO 14040/44 which may help in understanding the relative magnitude of the impact associated to a product when compared to a reference value. In order to enhance the robustness and comprehensiveness of NFs, this paper presents a methodology for building an extended domestic inventory of emission and resources extraction. The domestic inventory refers to emissions and extractions due to the processes located within a geographical region, Europe (EU 27), in 2010. A robust regional inventory is a fundamental element for supporting the calculation of global factors, often resulting form extrapolation and upscaling from regional ones.The NFs for EU 27 in 2010 are based on extensive data collection and the application of extrapolation strategies for data gaps filling. The inventory is based on domestic emissions into air, water and soil and on resource extracted in EU, adopting a production-based approach. A hierarchy is developed for selection of data sources based on their robustness and quality. Data gap filling is based on several proxy indicators, specific for each impact category, capitalising existing statistics on pressure indicators (e.g. estimating ionising radiation emissions based on data of electricity production from nuclear power plants). To calculate NFs, the inventory is characterised using the International reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) Handbook (EC-JRC 2011a) midpoint indicators.The resulting NFs present several added values compared to earlier normalisation exercises based on domestic inventories, namely more complete inventory, based on wide variety of sources; more comprehensive coverage of the flows within each impact category; overall evaluation of the robustness of the final figures; and robustness evaluation of the data sources. Contribution analysis shows that few flows (NO$_{ x }$, SO$_{ x }$, NH$_{4}$, etc.) are driving the impacts of several impact categories, and the choice of the data sources is particularly crucial, as this may lead to differences in the NFs. A qualitative uncertainty assessment is reported for each impact category. Besides, in order to test the robustness of the NFs, a sensitivity analysis on key choices and assumptions has been advocated.NFs may help identification of the relative magnitude of the impact. Nonetheless, several limitations still exist both at the inventory and at the impact assessment level, e.g., several inventory flows are not characterised as there is no characterisation factor available in current models. Those limitations should be clearly reported and understood by the users of normalisation factors in order to correctly interpret the results of their study as well as when regional NFs are used as basis for building global set of factor. The adoption of domestic NFs may, in fact, result in overestimating the relative magnitude of certain impacts, especially when those impacts are associated with traded goods from or outside the EU 27. Qualitative and quantitative assessment of uncertainties should be conducted from inventory to characterised results. Comprehensive testing is needed on the following: data sources, data mapping, regionalisation as well as models and system boundaries thereof. Strengths and limitations of the current study have implications also in other application contexts, as when indicators are needed to evaluate progress towards environmental policies goals. In fact, environmental impact indicators at regional scale often require data gap filling and estimation methodologies.
Starting Page	1568
Ending Page	1585
Page Count	18
File Format	PDF
ISSN	09483349
Journal	The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment
Volume Number	20
Issue Number	11
e-ISSN	16147502
Language	English
Publisher	Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Publisher Date	2015-08-28
Publisher Place	Berlin, Heidelberg
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Domestic inventory Emissions ILCD Integrated environmental assessment Life cycle impact assessment Normalisation factors Environment Environmental Economics Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology Environmental Chemistry
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Environmental Science

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

Integrated assessment of environmental impact of Europe in 2010: data sources and extrapolation strategies for calculating normalisation factors

Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of normalization factors to methodological assumptions

ILCD Handbook Public Consultation Workshop : International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD)

Identifying best existing practice for characterization modeling in life cycle impact assessment

Attributional and consequential LCA in the ILCD handbook

Quantifying anthropogenic mobilization, flows (in product systems) and emissions of fixed nitrogen in process-based environmental life cycle assessment: rationale, methods and application to a life cycle inventory

Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of normalization factors to methodological assumptions

Normalisation and weighting in life cycle assessment: quo vadis?

Impact of normalisation, elicitation technique and background information on panel weighting results in life cycle assessment

Integrated assessment of environmental impact of Europe in 2010: data sources and extrapolation strategies for calculating normalisation factors

Similar Documents

Integrated assessment of environmental impact of Europe in 2010: data sources and extrapolation strategies for calculating normalisation factors

Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of normalization factors to methodological assumptions

ILCD Handbook Public Consultation Workshop : International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD)

Identifying best existing practice for characterization modeling in life cycle impact assessment

Attributional and consequential LCA in the ILCD handbook

Quantifying anthropogenic mobilization, flows (in product systems) and emissions of fixed nitrogen in process-based environmental life cycle assessment: rationale, methods and application to a life cycle inventory

Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of normalization factors to methodological assumptions

Normalisation and weighting in life cycle assessment: quo vadis?

Impact of normalisation, elicitation technique and background information on panel weighting results in life cycle assessment

Integrated assessment of environmental impact of Europe in 2010: data sources and extrapolation strategies for calculating normalisation factors