A framework for integrating ecosystem services as endpoint impacts in life cycle assessment

Life cycle assessment is an analysis technique used to assess the environmental burdens of products or production processes. Ecosystem services a concept understand ways functioning ecosystems support human wellbeing. Both are how anthropogenic pressures impact environment. The integration ecosystem as indicators in life increasingly being explored, however there several limitations with current frameworks. A brief review existing approaches found they incorporate midpoint within traditional structures and aggregate these impacts under conventional ‘areas protection’ (i.e., groupings impacts). These typically only focus on product systems negatively affect service supply (predominantly through land use) overlook use up mitigate their emissions interventions could improve supply. It argued by authors that better placed endpoint representing damage instrumental value manner distinct categories, so any changes delivery should be assessed new area protection. In this paper, potential for protection explored novel framework modelling characterisation factors related addresses presented. proposed respects protocols quantifying from alongside methodologies quality (biodiversity), health natural resources. This approach, based small number pertinent end-point indicators, has broaden out LCA assessments quantify multiple services.