Main characteristics of LCA

Abstract

Life cycle assessment (LCA) has a number of defining characteristics that enables it to address questions that no other assessment tools can address. This chapter begins by demonstrating how the use of LCA in the late 2000s led to a drastic shift in the dominant perception that biofuels were "green", "sustainable" or "carbon neutral", which led to a change in biofuel policies. This is followed by a grouping of the LCA characteristics into four headlines and an explanation of these: (1) takes a life cycle perspective, (2) covers a broad range of environmental issues, (3) is quantitative, (4) is based on science. From the insights of the LCA characteristics we then consider the strengths and limitations of LCA and end the chapter by listing 10 questions that LCA can answer and 3 that it cannot.