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Procedia CIRP 61 (2017) 697 – 702

The 24th CIRP Conference on Life Cycle Engineering

Indicators for environmental sustainability

Yan Dongab*, Michael Z Hauschilda
a
Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Management Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
b
Global Decision Support Initiative, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +45-4524-4417; E-mail address: yado@dtu.dk

Abstract

Decision making on sustainable consumption and production requires scientifically based information on sustainability. Different
environmental sustainability targets exist for specific decision problems. To observe how well these targets are met, relevant environmental
indicators are needed. In this study, we reviewed indicators applied in life cycle assessment (LCA), planetary boundary framework (PB), and
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) developed under United Nation. The aim is to 1) identify their applications and relevant decision
context; 2) Review their indicators and categorize them into Drivers-Pressures-States-Impacts-Responses scheme for comparison and; 3)
provide suggestions for indicator system choice and important aspects to consider when choosing.
©2017
© 2017TheThe Authors.
Authors. Published
Published by Elsevier
by Elsevier B.V.
B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 24th CIRP Conference on Life Cycle Engineering.
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 24th CIRP Conference on Life Cycle Engineering
Keywords: decision support; indicator; sustainability; metrics; environmental targets; life cycle assessment; planetary boundary; Sustainable Development Goals

1. Introduction In this study, we reviewed some broadly used

methodologies and their corresponding indicators, including
Sustainability is to “meet the needs of the present without the ones in planetary boundaries (PBs), Life Cycle
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their Assessment (LCA), and Sustainable Development Goals
own needs.”[1] When a decision involving sustainability (SDGs). These indicators are then classified into different
aspects needs to be made, it requires scientifically based impact categorizes. The differences and similarities are
information on sustainability. This has been a new challenge analyzed as background for a discussion of important aspects
for providing rational, coherent and transparent decision to be considered when choosing indicators for environmental
support towards sustainable consumption and production sustainability.
pattern. Human behavior and societal context play a larger
role in social and economic sustainability, where little 2. Sustainable environmental indicators in different fields
consensus exist. The environmental pillar addresses the
ecosystems and their life support functions for mankind. Here There are three essential questions that needs to be
assessments can be based on environmental science with a addressed and answered when considering sustainability of an
higher degree of predictability and scientific consensus. This activity or system [3]: 1) What is the system to be protected?
study will focus on environmental sustainability assessment. Where is the system boundary? 2) What is the time scale? 3)
The concept of sustainability comes from different roots, What is system quality that will be maintained or improved?
such as ecological carrying capacity, resource reserve, and The system quality can be assessed via indicators and
critique of technology [2]. Each of these research areas has corresponding methods. The indicators are a simple way to
its own roots and thus unique targets, e.g. staying below answer “How might I know objectively whether things are
ecological carrying capacity, not deplete resource reserves getting better or getting worse?” [4]. For each of the
and minimize impacts from technology development. To indicators, a baseline is often used to express the “standard
observe how well those targets are met, relevant indicators quality” that needs to be maintained or the target that needs to
and corresponding assessment methods have been developed. be reached if it is not there yet. Due to different purposes, the

2212-8271 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 24th CIRP Conference on Life Cycle Engineering
doi:10.1016/j.procir.2016.11.173
698 Yan Dong and Michael Z. Hauschild / Procedia CIRP 61 (2017) 697 – 702

answers to the three essential questions are also different in environmental models applied to model the indicators. After a
each methodology, which also appears to be the key joint effort of reviewing those methods, recommendations of
information for specific decision problem. In this section, we best practices were identified [8]. There 13 separate cause-
will introduce the three focused environmental sustainability effect chains were identified from emission to damages on the
assessment methods and their indicators, addressing answers area of protection (natural environment, human health and
to the three essential questions. natural resources). Each of them has one or more midpoint
indicator located somewhere in the chain between emissions
and damages, where endpoint indicators are located (Table 1).
2.1. Planetary boundaries The environmental sustainability of an activity can thus be
judged either by midpoint indicators, or endpoint indicators.
PB “defines a safe operating space for humanity based on New impact categories such as noise, accidents and salination
the intrinsic biophysical processes that regulate the stability of are also under development. The corresponding time scale is
the earth system” [5]. By estimating impacts towards PB, it different depending on the impact category, ranging from
aims at protecting the functioning of the earth system within years (e.g. acidification, eutrophication and ecotoxicity) to
an “ethical time horizon- short enough to influence today’s very long time scales (e.g. climate change, ozone depletion,
decisions yet long enough to provide the basis for fossil and mineral depletion) [9].
sustainability over many generations to come” [6]. Several
key processes are identified and some methods were
developed to quantitatively express the boundary level that 2.3. Sustainable Development Goals
should “not be transgressed if we are to avoid unacceptable
global environmental change” [6]. With its focus on the Many environmental targets and indicators exist in
stability of Earth system processes, the PB approach is regulatory context, to promote regulators making decisions
concerned with impacts on the natural environment and does towards a livable and sustainable place for humans. They
not intend to reflect impacts to human health. Nine planetary present a perspective from human-centered society. There is
boundaries were recognized so far as shown in Table 1. For an abundance of such targets and indicators at different
each of the boundaries, one or more indicators have been decision levels. Among them, SDGs are the most recent ones
developed to show the distance to the boundary and indicate released by UN. They are part of a plan of action to stimulate
when we are at risk to transgress it. Since PB is a rather new all nations to “heal and secure our planet” and “shift the world
concept, methods for assessing some of the indicators are still on to a sustainable and resilient path” [10]. 17 goals supported
under development and thus not mature yet. Large by 169 targets were established in SDGs to be attained by
uncertainties of the boundaries are expected, where more 2030 [10]. To facilitate the implementation and monitoring of
research is needed [5]. However, the PB approach provides a the SDGs, Sustainable Development Solution Network was
way to assess environmental impacts against an absolutely launched by the UN to develop indicators. Indicators have
scale, taking the whole earth as the system boundary. been and will be further developed under each target for
monitoring and assessment purposes [11]. The SDGs target to
assure common goals and understandings between different
2.2. Life Cycle Assessment stakeholders (e.g. policy-makers, local residents and business
partners) in the development of a sustainable world.
LCA “quantifies all relevant emissions and resources Depending on the application context, the system boundary
consumed and the related environmental and health impacts that is considered under the SDGs is often within a certain
and resource depletion issues that are associated with any region or nation, but some of them are also global. Most of
goods or services” [7]. It is a mature and robust method that the targeted indicators have to reach a certain level within a
comes with ISO standard (ISO 14040/14044). LCA firstly limited time. In addition to the strong focus of achieving
quantifies the emissions from all life stages of a product or environmental sustainability, a strengthening of technology
service. The impacts caused by the emissions are then transfer, capacity-building in the developing countries and
assessed by Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) promotion of local public awareness have been emphasized in
methodologies. The intention of LCA is to compare SDGs to facilitate the achievement of these targets.
alternatives. Therefore it only expresses environmental
impacts in relative terms, e.g. which option is more 3. Classification and comparison of environmental
environmental friendly. It cannot judge if the solution is sustainability indicators
sustainable in absolute terms since it doesn’t relate to an
absolute boundary as PB does. The focus of LCA is global as In order to support a comparison of the environmental
for PB, but some of the impacts are modelled at a regional indicators in LCA, PB and SDGs, a summary of the proposed
scale when this is relevant. The environmental quality that can indicators is given in Table 1. To better understand the
be affected is expressed by a set of impact categories, each relationships between different environmental sustainability
represented by one or more indicators. There are many LCIA indicators in different domains, each relevant indicator is
methodologies available (e.g. ReCiPe, IMPACT 2002+, etc.), classified into a specific impact type of environmental impact.
where noticeable differences exist in coverage of impacts, in Under each impact type, the indicators are further categorized
choice of indicators for some impact categories and in the by applying a widely used flexible framework for relating
 Yan Dong and Michael Z. Hauschild / Procedia CIRP 61 (2017) 697 – 702 699

human activities to environmental status: Driver-Pressure- freshwater, water use is the Pressure and the proportion of
State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) scheme as shown in Figure 1 water resource that has been used is the State. Response
[12]. It starts with “driver”, which reflects the need of e.g. indicators on management and strategies are identified to
individuals and industries. The drivers lead to human regulate the intensity of GHG emission or efficiency of water
activities that invoke “pressures” on the environment. As a use (Driver). For both impact categories, SDGs covers Driver,
result of the pressures, the “state” of the environment is Pressure and Response indicators, reflecting the strong
changed and this may cause an “impact” on the environment, political emphasis. For eutrophication, the Pressures are
which may eventually trigger a political “response” [12]. clearly coming from nitrogen and phosphorus emissions.
SDGs aim to regulate nitrogen and phosphorus efficiency
(Driver). For chemical pollution, SDGs include indicators on
chemical emission and concentration as the Pressure and State
indicator respectively. This category is mentioned in PB, but
yet no specific indicator is defined. For ozone depletion, PB
and LCA have a similar State indicator related to ozone
concentration in the stratosphere. SDGs operate with one
Pressure indicator on the consumption of ozone depleting
substances. For biodiversity and acidification, different States
indicators exist, where a consensus is strongly needed. For all
the impact categories mentioned above, some research has
been done, but not enough to understand the full cause-effect
chain, especially the connection between state and impacts.
There are several categories where only SDGs indicators
Figure 1. The DPSIR framework, adapted from EEA [12]
exists, namely waste treatment, marine system change, fish
resources, energy resources, and food and agricultural
Six PB indicators are categorized as State indicators, and resources. State indicators are available for all the mentioned
two are Pressure indicators. In one category (introduction of categories, but Pressure indicators only exist for two
novel entities), PB does not have a defined indicator. PB categories and Impact indicators are lacking for all of them.
covers in total nine impact categories (Table 1). Similarly, 11 The lack of good understanding on cause-effect chain in these
LCA midpoint indicators are State indicators, while only one categories makes it difficult to judge how serious and urgent
is considered as a Pressure indicator (Freshwater use). All the problems are. For resources especially, a fair judgement
LCA midpoint indicators contribute to at least one of the three on the reserves and renewability is essential to define the
LCA damage indicators, which are classified as Impact impacts and thus response indicators. Here the needs from
indicators in the DPSIR framework. Driver, Pressure and regulators point to the direction of future research needs.
Response indicators are easier to regulate, but their
environmental relevance is more indirect. In comparison, 4. Discussion and proposals
State and Impact indicators are more objective and robust in
the sense that they represent the consequences of the others on Generally speaking, LCA and PB have similar
the status of the environment. This explains why scientists set perspectives. Their indicators are science-based, and
up planetary boundaries mainly via states indicators, and LCA operational methods are available for assessing most of them.
compares environmental performance at states and impacts In contrast, fewer details on the methodologies are available
level. In contrast, SDGs aim at providing guidelines for now for SDGs indicators. To supplement this, UNEP has
regulations, and they have to encompass as many driver and organized several workshops to develop proposals and more
response indicators as needed to fulfil the very wide purpose. are foreseen. For example, integrated environmental
Therefore, SDGs covers the most impact categories (16 out of indicators were proposed to “support multiple goals and
19). In addition to States and Impacts indicators, they provide targets” [13]. To promote Sustainable Consumption and
Pressure, Driver and Response indicators in six, six and eight Production (SCP), a set of relevant indicators were developed
categories respectively. The Driver indicators under the SDGs [14]. Many indicators listed in SCP have not yet been
represent the growing focus of societal development on included in the SDGs, e.g. biomass footprint of consumptions,
increasing efficiency/intensity in energy use, water use, CO2 rates of groundwater depletion, water footprint, material
emissions, nitrogen and phosphorus use. Response indicators footprint, food waste at consumption stage and metal
focus on how governance can facilitate sustainability, via recycling rate [14]. As SDGs stepping into the operational
providing support, proper management, strategies, subsidies stage, more guidelines and proposals are expected to provide
and promoting or restricting certain technologies. operational measurements methods for the SDGs targets.
There are seven of the environmental impact categories To choose the relevant indicators for decision support, it is
that are covered by all three indicator sets (Table 1). Among necessary to understand the context of the indicators and the
those, climate change and freshwater use show most decision problem that is to be addressed. Traditionally, LCA
consensuses in terms of applied cause-effect chain. For is mainly operated on product systems. SDGs will mostly be
climate change, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission (Pressure) operated on sector and national level, while PB aims at
causes change in GHG concentration (State). Similarly for operating on regional and global level. Hence, indicators such
700 Yan Dong and Michael Z. Hauschild / Procedia CIRP 61 (2017) 697 – 702

as emission intensity, usage efficiency and management where SDGs aim to develop towards sustainability. In
strategies that typically target the sector or national level via contrast, LCA only contains quantitative science-based State
policies or regulations only appear in SDGs. However, these and Impact indicators, to be assessed on product and project
indicators are useful as guidance also for the smaller scale level without interface to regulation and policies.
applications in companies or even products with indication of

Table 1. Summary of environmental sustainability indicators in different area

Impacts on Drivers Pressures States Impacts Responses
Climate LCA - Radiative forcing as Global - Ecosystem
change Warming Potential damages
(GWP100) - Human health
damages
PB - Atmospheric CO2
concentration
- Energy imbalance at top-of-
atmosphere
SDGs - GHG emissions - Net GHG emissions - Losses from - [Climate Change Action Index] –
intensity of areas under in the Agriculture, natural to be developed
forest management Forest and other disasters, by - Implicit incentives for low-carbon
(GtCO2e / ha) Land Use (AFOLU) climate and energy in the electricity sector
- CO2 intensity of new sector (tCO2e) non-climate- (measured as US$/MWh or US$
power generation - Total energy and related events per ton avoided CO2)
capacity installed industry-related (in US$ and - Availability and implementation
(gCO2 per kWh), and of GHG emissions by lives lost) of a transparent and detailed deep
new cars (gCO2/pkm) gas and sector, decarbonization strategy,
and trucks (gCO2/tkm) expressed as consistent with the 2°C - or below
production and - global carbon budget, and with
demand-based GHG emission targets for 2020,
emissions (tCO2e) 2030 and 2050.
- [Disaster Risk Reduction
Indicator] – to be developed
Acidification LCA - Land and water: - Ecosystem
Accumulated Exceedance damages
PB - Ocean: carbonate ion
concentration
SDGs - Ocean acidity (measured as
surface pH)
Ozone LCA - Ozone Depletion Potential - Human health
depletion (ODP) damages
PB - Stratospheric O3
concentration
SDGs - Consumption of
ozone-depleting
substances (MDG
Indicator)
Atmospheric PB - Aerosol Optical Depth
aerosol loading (AOD)
SDGs - Aerosol Optical Depth
(AOD)
Eutrophication LCA - Accumulated Exceedance - Ecosystem
damages
PB - Global: P flow from
freshwater into ocean
- Regional: P flow
from fertilizers to
erodible soils
- Global: industrial and
intentional biological
fixation of N
SDGs - Nitrogen use efficiency - Eutrophicatio
in food systems n of major
- Phosphorus use estuaries
efficiency in food
systems
Air pollution LCA - Intake fraction for fine - Human health
particles (kg PM2.5-eq/kg) damages
SDGs - Mean urban air pollution of - [Mortality
particulate matter (PM10 and from indoor
PM2.5) air pollution]
– to be
developed
Ionizing LCA - Human exposure efficiency - Human health
radiation relative to U235 damages
Photochemical LCA - Tropospheric ozone - Human health
ozone concentration increase damages
formation
Chemical LCA - Ecosystem
pollution/ damages
introduction of - Human health
novel entities damages
PB - No indicator currently defined. It may be for example chemical emissions, concentrations, or effects on ecosystem and earth system functioning
SDGs - [Indicator on
chemical pollution] –
to be developed
 Yan Dong and Michael Z. Hauschild / Procedia CIRP 61 (2017) 697 – 702 701

Impacts on Drivers Pressures States Impacts Responses

Waste SDGs - Proportion of the - Percentage of urban - Global Food Loss Index [or
treatment population connected to solid waste regularly other indicator to be
collective sewers or collected and well developed to track the share
with on-site storage of managed of food lost or wasted in the
all domestic - Percentage of value chain after harvest]
wastewaters wastewater flows
treated to national
standards [and
reused] – to be
developed
Land system LCA - Soil Organic Matter - Ecosystem
change damages
- Natural
resource
damages
SDGs - [Ratio of land - Annual change in degraded - [Indicator on the conservation of
consumption rate to or desertified arable land (% mountain ecosystems] – to be
population growth rate, or ha) developed
at comparable scale] –
to be developed
Marine system SDGs - Share of coastal and marine - [Indicator on the implementation
change areas that are protected of spatial planning strategies for
- Area of coral reef coastal and marine areas]– to be
ecosystems and percentage developed
live cover
Change in LCA - Potential affected fraction of - Ecosystem
biosphere species damages
integrity PB - Extinction rate
/biodiversity - Biodiversity intactness index
SDGs - Genetic diversity of - [Indicator on global support to
terrestrial domesticated combat poaching and trafficking
animals of protected species] – to be
- [Indicator on genetic developed
diversity in agriculture] – to - Protected areas overlay with
be developed biodiversity
- Red List Index
- Living Planet Index
- Abundance of invasive alien
species
Freshwater use LCA - Water use related to - Natural
local scarcity of resource
water damages
PB - blue water use
SDGs - [Crop water - Proportion of total water - [Indicator on water resource
productivity (tons of resources used (MDG management] – to be developed
harvested product per Indicator) - [Reporting of international river
unit irrigation water)] – shed authorities on transboundary
to be developed river-shed management] – to be
developed
Forest PB - Area of forested land as % of
resources original or potential forest
cover
SDGs - Annual change in forest area - Area of forest under sustainable
and land under cultivation forest management as a percent of
(modified MDG Indicator) forest area
- Area of mangrove - Improved tenure security and
deforestation (hectares and governance of forests
as % of total mangrove area)
Fish resources SDGs - Proportion of fish stocks - Percentage of fisheries with a
within safe biological limits sustainable certification
(MDG Indicator) - [Use of destructive fishing
- Percentage of fish tonnage techniques] - Indicator to be
landed with Maximum developed
Sustainable Yield (MSY)
Energy SDGs - Presence of urban - Primary energy by type Fossil fuel subsidies ($ or %GNI)
resources building codes - Share of energy from
stipulating either the renewables
use of local materials
and/or new energy
efficient technologies or
with incentives for the
same
- Rate of primary energy
intensity improvement
Fossil and LCA - Scarcity - Natural
mineral resource
resources damages
Food and SDGs - Global Food Loss - Crop yield gap (actual yield
agricultural Index [or other as % of attainable yield)
resources indicator to be - Cereal yield growth rate (%
developed to track p.a.)
the share of food lost - Livestock yield gap (actual
or wasted in the yield as % of attainable
value chain after yield)
harvest]
702 Yan Dong and Michael Z. Hauschild / Procedia CIRP 61 (2017) 697 – 702

LCA indicators can also be applied to assess future. We discussed several considerations when choosing
sustainability at larger scales, but uncertainties are expected the right indicator sets for a specific purpose. For example,
to be high. PB, similar to LCA, is purely science-based LCA, PB and SDGs are suitable for application on product,
indicator. But the boundary is set at the global level. Some global and section/national level respectively. The maturity
extra efforts are needed to apply it on smaller scales. of the cause-effect chain for each category is different. The
Meanwhile, PB provides good scientific support for uncertainty associated with each indicator depends both on
political decisions related to environmental sustainability. the locations of that indicator on DPSIR chain and the
On the environmental impact pathway, Driver and maturity of the specific impact cause-effect chain that it
Pressure indicators are closer to the cause than State belongs to. Which indicators to choose for a specific
indicators, while Impact indicators come the last. The closer decision problem depend on its context (e.g. application
to the cause, the less uncertainty there is in the models but scale, interested impact categories and study purpose) and
also the more ambiguous the relation is to the consequences its acceptable uncertainty level. Moreover, there are some
in terms of environmental sustainability. If the cause-effect indicators that may overlap with others, which should also
chain is well established and the uncertainty can be reduced be taken into account. The desired indicator sets should be
to an acceptable level, it can be very relevant to define decided in consultation with the decision-makers, but the
improvement requirements at the Drivers level. However, if decision should consider the aspects highlighted in the
this is not the case, we may get perverted incentives where analysis here.
the Drivers are without leading to the desired changes in the
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