Benefits and hurdles of life cycle assessment?

INQUIRED - Benefits and hurdles of life cycle assessment

Interview with Theresa Pscherer, M.Sc. | Research Associate in the Sustainable Engineering & Management (SEM) research group at Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences (TransBIB area "Strengthening bioeconomy stakeholders in sustainability assessment")

Question 1: The bioeconomy is seen as a key strategy for a more sustainable economy. To what extent can life cycle assessment (LCA) play a central role in this?

Theresa Pscherer: Life cycle assessment is the most important scientific tool for evaluating the environmental impact of products and processes. It helps to make informed decisions by showing, for example, whether a bio-based product is really more sustainable than its fossil-based counterpart. This makes it a valuable tool for managing the bioeconomy. 

An LCA considers the entire life cycle of a product, from raw material extraction to production, use and disposal, right through to possible recycling. This is particularly important because the bioeconomy works with renewable raw materials that can store carbon. The decisive factor here is how long the carbon remains sequestered in order to contribute to climate protection.

Question 2: Are there already established methods for correctly recording and evaluating biogenic carbon in the LCA?

Theresa Pscherer: There has been progress here, but there are still challenges. Biogenic carbon - i.e. carbon that comes from biological sources/biomass - is assessed differently in different LCA standards. An important question is whether and for how long carbon storage is counted. 

For example, wood products can bind carbon for decades before it is released back into the atmosphere through rotting or combustion. Some standards take this into account, while others simply set the absorption and subsequent emission of biogenic carbon to zero. This can lead to the climate impact of bio-based products being underestimated. 

Another point is the so-called substitution effect: when a bio-based product replaces a fossil-based product, fewer greenhouse gases are often emitted. However, the way in which this benefit is calculated is not yet standardised. There are various methods for determining the substitution effect, but they lead to different results.

Question 3: Another debate in the context of biogenic carbon revolves around so-called credits. What is this all about?

Theresa Pscherer: Credits are a much-discussed topic in LCA. The idea behind it is that the storage of carbon in products and the resulting environmental benefits are recognised as a kind of "bonus". One example would be a wood product that binds carbon for many years. The longer the storage period, the greater the positive effect on the climate can be. 

However, there are different approaches to how these credits are calculated. Some standards allow a separate calculation. Others subtract the credit from the total balance.  There are also standards that stipulate a minimum storage period or do not accept credits. As a result, the results can vary greatly depending on which calculation method or standard is used. 

Question 4: Despite these unanswered questions, how important is LCA for political decisions today?

Theresa Pscherer: The importance of LCA has increased significantly in recent years. The European Commission recommends LCA as a central instrument for assessing the environmental friendliness of products. There are already political frameworks based on this, such as the Environmental Footprint for Products (PEF). The EU initiative "The New European Bauhaus" also relies on LCA and has included it as an assessment tool in its Investment Guidelines. 

However, there is still no standardised legal requirement as to how LCA should be applied in the bioeconomy. As a result, companies work with different methods, which makes comparability difficult. 

Für einen tieferen Einblick in das Thema würde ich Sie gerne auf folgende Veröffentlichung verweisen: Pscherer, T., Krommes, S. LCA standards for environmental product assessments in the bioeconomy with a focus on biogenic carbon: A systematic review. Int J Life Cycle Assess 30, 371–393 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-024-02387-7 

Question 5: And how can TransBIB specifically support companies in the bioeconomy?

Theresa Pscherer: In TransBIB, various contents are developed to make it easier for companies to get started with life cycle assessment. For example, workshops and learning lounges have already been organised in which the basics of life cycle assessment were covered. We also provide LCA-related articles on the TransBIB website. Since March 2025, we have also been offering a guide for download. This includes a step-by-step guide for a standardised, methodical approach to life cycle assessment in accordance with ISO 14040 and 14044 as well as a checklist of relevant components of life cycle assessment and contains further information on relevant norms and standards;

Question 6: Finally, let's take a look into the future. What open questions do you still see for LCA in the bioeconomy?

Theresa Pscherer: There are some exciting fields of research. One of the biggest challenges is the harmonisation of methods. If different standards lead to different results, this is a problem - especially for companies that develop sustainable products and are dependent on a reliable assessment that can be compared with others. Greenwashing is also an issue here. 

Another point is the integration of circular economy principles. Today, many products are disposed of or incinerated after their first life cycle. However, there is enormous potential to utilise biomaterials multiple times - through recycling or cascade use. The LCA must be further developed or specified in its standards in order to better reflect these concepts. 

Finally, the question remains as to how LCA can be more closely interlinked with political processes. While it already plays an important role today, a clearer legal basis could help to steer sustainable decisions more consistently. 

We would like to thank Theresa Pscherer for the interview.

The questions were asked by TransBIB project team member Dr Martin Brunsmeier.