Multicriteria Analysis Methods for enhanced Result Interpretation in Life Cycle Assessment

In this document the problem of trade-offs between indicators in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies is explained in more detail as well as the requirement of MCA methods to accommodate them. Furthermore, the four environmental footprints in combinations with certain other indicators are proposed as a common minimum-set of indicators to harmonize LCA-studies and to ensure their comparability. Important rules for the conduction of an LCA for CO2 utilization technologies are also explained. In the next step, methods for Multi Criteria Analysis are described, and their application is shown. As a worked example, the results of an LCA-study for the CO2-based production of base chemicals and polymers are used. It is shown how those methods enable the accommodation of trade-offs and therefore enhance the explanatory power of LCA-studies. Furthermore, their differences and critical points for their application are explained.