The current global interest in circular economy (CE) opens an opportunity to make society’s consumption and production patterns more resource efficient and sustainable. However, such growing interest calls for precaution as well, as there is yet no harmonised method to assess whether a specific CE strategy contributes towards sustainable consumption and production. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is very well suited to assess the sustainability impacts of CE strategies. This position paper of the Life Cycle Initiative (hosted by UNEP) provides an LCA perspective on the development, adoption, and implementation of CE, while pointing out strengths and challenges in LCA as an assessment methodology for CE strategies.

中文翻译：

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利用生命周期评估实现循环经济

当前全球对循环经济 (CE) 的兴趣为提高社会消费和生产模式的资源效率和可持续性提供了机会。然而，这种日益增长的兴趣也需要预防，因为目前还没有统一的方法来评估特定的 CE 战略是否有助于可持续消费和生产。生命周期评估 (LCA) 非常适合评估 CE 战略的可持续性影响。生命周期倡议（由 UNEP 主办）的这份立场文件提供了关于 CE 的开发、采用和实施的 LCA 观点，同时指出了 LCA 作为 CE 战略评估方法的优势和挑战。