Steering policy-making processes and business long term strategies entails tasks such as e.g. setting up sound environmental long term
objectives and targets, assessing implications, and comparing options. To best run these tasks in the context of sustainability
assessment, two fundamental ingredients are indispensable: life cycle thinking and analysis of future-oriented scenarios.
Considering the whole life cycle of goods and services is necessary to avoid the shifting of problems from one life cycle stage to another,
from one geographic area to another and from one environmental medium or protection target to another.
Given the proliferation of life cycle thinking-based data modelling approaches, a review was conducted to detect where we stand in
defining and framing life cycle thinking-based approaches and related data modelling approaches, what their key features are, and how
mature they are. In addition, a scientific workshop was arranged to further discuss data modelling approaches and to screen how
Environmental Footprint methodologies can be used to assess future-oriented scenarios.
This review represents a stepping stone towards recommendations for sustainability assessment of future-oriented scenarios.JRC.H.8-Sustainability Assessmen
