" Towards a Life Cycle Economy "

Has the economic model on which modern society is founded reached its limit? Climate change, a supposed consequence of the industrial age, has become a major international concern, as have the growing problems associated with pollution, the intense pressure exerted on both renewable and non-renewable resources, and the social inequities between the North and South. It has therefore become all the more urgent to transform our current economy into one that is in line with the principles of sustainable development. To this end, the life cycle approach provides a unique framework for the development and application of tools to respond to current issues. 

Of these tools, environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) has been gaining in popularity throughout the world. Several countries rely on LCA when implementing laws and policy involving issues such as extended producer responsibility (EPR) in an integrated product policy (IPP). This growing number of initiatives has led to the emergence of a new type of economy, the life cycle economy, which is similar to the circular economy currently being implemented in countries such as China. In order to truly move towards sustainable development, given the high demand for its resources, Canada must adopt a life cycle economic model.   

Description

It's been almost two years since the 2nd Canadian Forum on the Life Cycle Management of Products and Services, in October 2005. Heavily focussed on methodology and case studies, the Forum aimed at reporting on the progress of the life cycle approach in Canada, as well as identifying challenges, stimulating collaborations, and highlighting the factors that could foster the implementation of the approach. The participation of stakeholders from all sectors exceeded expectations, demonstrating the degree to which the Forum truly responded to existing needs. Since then, the life cycle approach has continued to develop at the national and international levels. The UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative entered its second phase in the fall of 2006; the European Union launched the European Platform on Life Cycle Assessment, which is set to end in 2008; and the demand for life cycle assessment by Canadian industries and governments is increasing. However, these life cycle tools must still be improved and the social and economic impacts must find their place within the LCA methodology framework.  What is more, Canada still does not have a life cycle inventory database, which hinders the use of the life cycle approach. The objective of the Forum is therefore to measure the progress of the life cycle approach in Canada. The Forum also aims to continue to raise awareness of the approach, stimulate its method development, particularly as it pertains to social and economic impacts, and facilitate its implementation.

Who Should Attend this Forum?

This third edition, as did the first two, aims to bring together all sustainable development stakeholders from industry, governments, academia, and NGOs. It will present the methodological aspects as they arerelate to recent developments in life cycle impacts and inventory data management. The Forum will examine life cycle assessment within SMEs and large companies, and present Canadian and international case studies.

This third edition will also focus on the social impact of the life cycle of products and services thanks to the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative Working Group on Social Impacts.

What is the Life Cycle Approach?

There is a current trend towards changing current production and consumption patterns that is gaining ground on the international level. New patterns are emerging which target a global minimization of negative environmental impacts while maintaining or positively increasing economic and social impacts. This is called the life cycle approach or life cycle thinking. The increasing popularity of fair trade and organic products is just one example of the tangible signs of this trend. The life cycle approach is promoted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and aims to reduce the pressure that a product or service exerts on resources and the environment throughout its life cycle, while optimizing the benefits for society and the economy. By doing so, there is a sustainable increase in the value chain.

The life cycle approach consists of a number of tools, of which life cycle assessment (LCA) is the cornerstone. Recently standardized by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, (see ISO 14040 and the subsequent standards), life cycle assessment is increasingly used throughout the world by large industrial corporations and their suppliers. The approach applies throughout the life cycle of a product or service, from its design, development, and marketing to the drafting of product management laws and policies, especially those pertaining to product management.