The use of Life cycle assessment in policies and in impact assessment thereof, with Serenella Sala, Joint Research Centre, European Commission

Over the past years the concept and practice of sustainable development has been continuously evolving. In this context, Life cycle thinking and assessment (LCA and LCT) has become more and more prominent in European and global policies. A significant decoupling of environmental impacts from welfare requires the definition of specific policies aiming at reducing burdens associated to production and consumption of goods and services. The presentation illustrates the use and relevance of life cycle approaches in EU policies, along the entire policy cycle, including policy impact assessment. The seminar embraces policies developed across over 30 years, from the first initiatives related to the integrated product policies up to the central role in achieving the ambitions of the Green Deal. Different Communication, Strategies, Regulations, Directives have integrated elements of LCA in order to ensure the adoption a more holistic approaches to production and consumption.