A Methodological Approach to Integrate Circularity, Ecosystem Services and the SDGs Under the Life Cycle Assessment Framework

This study outlines a methodological framework for incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), circular indicators, ecosystem services into the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework. LCA provides a comprehensive assessment of environmental effects, but it does not guarantee a shift from linear to circular systems. Therefore, by incorporating the tenets of circular economy, the approach considers the movement of resources, the life cycle of materials, and their overall durability. Also, by integrating ecosystem services, the assessment of the effects on both ecosystems and human welfare is conducted across the entire life cycle. In addition, these assessments are mapped to particular SDGs, thereby quantifying contributions to sustainable development objectives. In the past, research has frequently focused on the analysis of these frameworks in isolation, treating them as distinct components of sustainability. The integrated methodology outlined herein offers a holistic structure for evaluating sustainability throughout the life cycles of products, thereby fostering circularity, conserving ecosystems, and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.