LULCIA
Title
Operational Characterization Factors for Land use Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in the Life-Cycle Impact Assessment – Compatible with the Framework of the UNEP-SETAC Life Cycle Initiative (LULCIA)
Duration
May 2008 until Dec 2012
Abstract
This project is supported by a global network of experts on LCIA from universities in Europe, North America and the Latin American and Caribbean regions. This project seeks to develop a practical tool to assess the use of land anywhere on the globe. The goal of this project is to provide a life cycle impact assessment methodology that includes an operational set of characterization factors linking land use elementary flows (occupation and transformation) to impacts on biodiversity and services provided by terrestrial ecosystem.
The activity of the working group is based on the first phase. In Phase 1 of the LC Initiative, the working group on LCIA of land use (being a sub-group of the working group on LCIA of natural resources and land use) worked out and agreed set of principles for LCIA of land use which were published in Int J LCA 12 (1) (2007) 5-15. After this long process of consensus building on framing the methodology, the working group has been working out a practicable LCIA method to assess the use of land anywhere on the globe.
Output of this group in the second phase will be:
- Special Issue/handbook on LCIA of Global Land Use within the framework of the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative
- Operational characterization factors for biodiversity and ecosystem services impacts
Partner
Core group
SEAC, Unilever, UK: Llorenç Milà I Canals (Llorenc.Mila-i-Canals@unilever.com)
Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Italy: Miguel Brandao (Miguel.Brandao@jrc.ec.europa.eu)
NSSI, ETHZ, Zurich, Switzerland and University of Bayreuth, Germany: Thomas Köllner (thomas.koellner@uni-bayreuth.de) and Laura de Baan (laura.debaan@env.ethz.ch)
IWOE, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland: Ruedi Müller-Wenk (ruedi.mueller-wenk@unisg.ch)
CIRAIG, Canada: Manuele Margni (manuele.margni@polymtl.ca), Rosie Saad (hala-rosie.saad@polymtl.ca) and Louise Deschenes (louise.deschenes@polymtl.ca)
LBP-GaBi, University Stuttgart, Germany: Bastian Wittstock (bastian.wittstock@LBP.uni-stuttgart.de), Tabea Beck (tabea.beck@LBP.uni-stuttgart.de) and Ulrike Bos (ulrike.bos@LBP.uni-stuttgart.de)
CLIOPE Group "Energy, environment, and sustainable development", Facultad Regional Mendoza, Universidad Tecnologica Nacional, Argentina: Alejandro Pablo Arena (aparena@frm.utn.edu.ar) and Barbara Civit (bcivit@frm.utn.edu.ar)
Outline of the special issue "Global Land Use Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in LCA" in the Int J LCA
- Koellner T and R Geyer (2013): Global land use assessment on biodiversity and ecosystem services in LCA. Int J LCA 18 (6): 1185-1187 PDF of Editorial to the Special Issue
Part A: Foundations
- Koellner T, L de Baan, T Beck, M Brandão, B Civit, M Margni, L Milà i Canals, R Saad, D Maia de Souza and R Müller-Wenk (2013a): UNEP-SETAC Guideline on Global Land Use Impact Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in LCA. Int J LCA 18 (6): 1188-1202 Abstract and pdf (open access) the electronic annex of this paper holds the Excel-files with all CFs developed in this special issue
- Koellner T, L de Baan, T Beck, M Brandão, B Civit, M Goedkoop, M Margni, L Milà i Canals, R Müller-Wenk, B Weidema and B Wittstock (2013b): Principles for Life Cycle Inventories of land use on a global scale. Int J LCA 18 (6): 1203-1215 Abstract and pdf
Part B: Modelling Characterization Factors for Biodiversity
- de Baan L, R Alkemade and T Koellner (2013): Land use impacts on biodiversity in LCA: a global approach. Int J LCA 18 (6): 1216-1230 Abstract and pdf
- Maia de Souza D, D Flynn, F DeClerck, R Rosenbaum, H de Melo Lisboa and T Koellner (2013): Land use impacts on functional species diversity: proposal of characterization factors to assess effects on ecosystem processes. Int J LCA 18 (6): 1231-1242 Abstract and pdf
Part C: Modelling Characterization Factors for Ecosystem Services
- Brandão M and L Milà i Canals (2013): Global characterisation factors to assess land use impacts on biotic production. Int J LCA 18 (6): 1243-1252 Abstract and pdf
- Müller-Wenk R and M Brandão (2010): Climatic impact of land use in LCA—carbon transfers between vegetation/soil and air. Int J LCA 15: 172-182 Abstract and pdf
- Saad R, T Koellner and M Margni (2013): Land use impacts on freshwater regulation, erosion regulation and water purification: a spatial approach for a global scale level. Int J LCA 18 (6): 1253-1264 Abstract and pdf
Part D: Application to Case Studies
- Milà i Canals L, G Rigarlsford G and S Sim (2013): Land use impact assessment of Margarine. Int J LCA 18 (6): 1265-1277 Abstract and pdf
Electronic Appendix
Excel file with complete cross tabulation of land use types and biomes for organizing generic characterization factors CFs (cf. Koellner et al. 2013b in table 3) Download here
Meetings
February 17, 2012: "Special forum on Global Land Use Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in LCA within the framework of the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative", Brussels >> see program and invitation here
Public session at the SETAC Europe Annual meeting in Seville, 23-27 May 2010: F03 - Land use impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services in Life Cycle Assessment
Links
- UNEP/SETAC LC Initiative Webpage of the "Land use group" "Operational Characterization Factors for Land use Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services"
- We closely collaborate with the UNEP/SETAC LC Initiative "Water use group" "Assessment of use and depletion of water resources within the LCA Framework"
Project leader and contact person
Prof. Dr. Thomas Koellner
Professorship of Ecological Services (PES)
University of Bayreuth
Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Geosciences
GEO II, Universitätsstr. 30
95440 Bayreuth, Germany