Complete course notes part 1

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10/03/2020 Introduction Sustainable development "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts: - the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; - the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs.“ [World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED). Our common future.Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987 p. 43. –also known as BrundtlandReport] Three Pillars’ Theory LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT LCA addresses the environmental aspects and potential environmental impacts (e.g.use of resources and the environmental consequences of releases) throughout a product's life cycle from raw material acquisition through production, use, end-of-life treatment, recycling and final disposal (i.e.cradle-to-grave). [ISO 14040:2006] Is there any standard? LCA is a method defined by the international standards ISO 14040 (2006) and ISO 14044 (2006). These standards are part of the largest group of ISO 14000 -Environmental management standards ​ : “ ​ The ISO 14000 family addresses various aspects of environmental management. It provides practical tools for companies and organizations looking to identify and control their environmental impact and constantly improve their environmental performance. ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 14004:2004 focus on environmental management systems. The other standards in the family focus on specific environmental aspects such as life cycle analysis, communication and auditing. ​ ” [ ​ www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/management-standards/iso14000.htm ​ ]…