Today, Quality Control (QC) in LCA is mainly related to techniques and procedures used for academic peer review, making the direct involvement of various topic experts a central element. At the same time, more and more actors seek to implement LCA at large(r) scales, using results to inform decisions beyond the bounds of single objectives and goals and therefore typically outside the scope of (traditional) QC instruments in the field.  Hence, in order that this expansion of LCA practice is successful and in order to support reliable decisions, more efficient (& probably more cost-effective) QC mechanisms are required that can fulfil this expanding demand.

Therefore the first discussion forum in 2021 will focus on quality and quality control in LCA: users’ understanding of and requirements for “quality” in LCA, strengths and weaknesses of the existing approach(es), emerging challenges for software and practitioners, and possible lessons from related fields such as emissions verification or management system auditing.

Overall, this virtual discussion forum aims to identify priorities for the further development of quality control in LCA to meet users’ needs, in terms of method, resources and tools. We would like to encourage contributions from LCA users, practitioners and tool developers (especially with experience in related fields) that highlight excellent current practice, failures of the current system, and/or directions for improvement in form of short presentations; please get in touch with us!

We look forward to meeting you online,

Chris Foster (EuGeos) and Roland Hischier (Empa)

Organizers of the DF LCA 77

Download:    DF77-Programme.pdf