Biodiversity and life cycle assessment Working group

Introduction

Global biodiversity loss is a key challenge, with an array of human activities resulting in negative trends for species and ecosystems. What is the status of the LCA research on including assessments of biodiversity pressures in various environments? How are standards and methodologies, etc. developing in the biodiversity area, and what are the gaps?

Overall aim of working group

The overall aim is to share insights regarding ongoing activities on addressing biodiversity pressures from agriculture, forestry, and marine activities and initiate collaborations. This will be done by

i) creating awareness on ongoing research, current status and methodologies related to biodiversity assessments in LCA;

ii) follow the development of methodologies and applications in standards in the area; and

iii) disseminate knowledge and contribute to formation of guidelines, standards, and policies.

iv) research-industry collaboration through coordinate research proposals.

Planned activities 2025

Workshop “From theory to practice”, April 23^rd 2025

Presentations by:

Ira Bhattarai (LUKE, Finland): on biodiversity method mapping from the EU-project CircHive
Lars Lundahl (Orkla Foods): on biodiversity reporting (focus on Science-Based Targets for Nature, but also CSRD)
Laura Linnala (SIS): on ISO standard development for biodiversity

Workshop “LCA, biodiversity and case studies”, November 6^th 2025

Presentations by:

Rickard Arvidsson (Chalmers University of Technology), on the operationalization of ‘biodiversity’ in LCA, illustrated in a case study of the battery material nickel performed in collaboration with Volvo Cars.
Lindsey Lohan (SLU), on the development and validation of biodiversity characterization factors with field data from Swedish grasslands.
Emke Vrasdonk (IVL), on the development of a spatially explicit biodiversity method within the EU CALIMERO project, focusing on land use impacts on structural landscape connectivity.