Developing handprints to enhance the environmental performance of other actors

Abstract

Major environmental challenges, such as water scarcity and quality issues, excess use of virgin nutrients, air pollution and global climate change, have given rise to an urgent need to reduce the environmental impacts of production and consumption and to develop and implement actions towards environmental sustainability. Life cycle assessment-based methods are traditionally used to measure the lifetime environmental impacts of products and services and to detect life cycle stages with the highest emission reduction potential. In addition to measuring the adverse impacts of offerings, there is a need to evaluate and compare solutions to determine which among them are the most beneficial to the environment. With regard to greenhouse gases, the carbon handprint approach can be used to evaluate the positive climate impacts of products and services when used by customers. However, the methods focusing on positive contributions in terms of other environmental impacts and in application scopes other than products and services are still scarce.

The main aim of the present study was to develop a handprint method for quantifying and communicating the environmental benefits of products and services in terms of air quality, nutrient use and water use and quality. To this end, the specific requirements of different impact categories were identified. Another objective was to widen the application scope of carbon handprint assessment from the product level to regional consideration as cities and regions have a focal role in climate work. The method was developed based on the principles of life cycle assessment, footprinting and the carbon handprint approach. Additionally, four case studies concerning different environmental and application scopes were conducted.

The results obtained from the present study show that different environmental impact categories have specific requirements when applied to the handprint context. As central issues, the need to recognise suitable and relevant indicators regarding different environmental scopes, acknowledging the origin of emissions in the context of locality and globality of impacts and selecting between the inventory and impact assessment levels should be considered. According to the case studies, handprints are feasible indicators of positive environmental impacts. Thus, this dissertation presents a coherent environmental handprint framework across different environmental scopes and stepwise calculation guidelines.

The environmental handprint approach provides a necessary addition to the existing life cycle methods as it offers a scientific-based means of quantifying and communicating the positive contributions of products, services and regions to the environment. Most importantly, handprints can provide reliable information in different decision-making situations, such as in the business and political contexts, but they can also be used for communication and marketing purposes. In particular, environmental handprints can be used to promote circular economy targets and green transition to sustainable production and consumption patterns. From a regional perspective, handprints can be important drivers of novel sustainable solutions and regional viability and attractiveness.