Interpretation

Jana Gerta Backes

Chapter 95 in Elgar Encyclopedia of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, 2026, pp 353-356 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: With growing interest from both experts and laymen to talk and communicate about sustainability, the topic of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment interpretation and visualization has come increasingly into focus. Interpretation is the last of the four phases of LCSA, following the LCA norms (ISO 14040/44). Life cycle interpretation is intended to provide an easily understandable, complete, and consistent presentation of the results of a Life Cycle Assessment, a Social Life Cycle Assessment, and a Life Cycle Costing in accordance with the objective and defined scope of the study (phase one). For this purpose, a systematic procedure is used to identify, qualify, verify, evaluate, and present the conclusions based on the results of an LCSA. In addition, this is done to fulfill the requirements of the application as described in the objective and scope of the study. The interpretation as a kind of iterative approach (back and forth analysis of parameters in constant exchange with mainly the second and third phases of the LCSA: Life Cycle Inventory Analysis and Life Cycle Impact Assessment) considers the impact of the methods used in the completed phases, along with established assumptions. In this section, the interpretation with its opportunities and challenges is presented, relevant aspects of the interpretation are listed, visualization tools to support the interpretation are presented (e.g., LCST, LCSD, Sustainability Crowns, and LCSA-Wheel) and the potential future idea of a fixed, freely usable set of indicators is named and discussed in more detail.

Keywords: Communication; Visualization; Indicator; Quantitative; Qualitative (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035309887
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