FUNDING PROGRAM FOR NEXT GENERATION WORLD-LEADING RESEARCHERS
Development of an life cycle economic assessment supporting environmental product policy for global-scale
Project Title:
problems
Name: Norihiro ITSUBO
Institution: Tokyo city university
1. Background of research
Stern report and TEEB (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity) report evaluating environmental
impacts influenced environmental impacts internationally. These above methods commonly use monetary
values to facilitate understanding. LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) which enables us to assess environmental
impacts of product life cycle has been spread world-widely. However, most of LCIA (Life Cycle Impact
Assessment) methodology are applicable to selected countries and regions. This makes it difficult to appeal
the significance of Japanese technology and environmental conscious products internationally.
2. Research objectives
The objective of this study is to establish a standard methodology which evaluate environmental impacts of
global impact categories reflecting spatial differences of impacts. Calculated results can be shown as
monetary values. We use LIME (Life cycle Impact assessment Method based on Endpoint modeling) which
has already been applied by many of companies and modify this to expand geographical range of assessment.
New method developed in this project reflect the knowledge of state-of-the-art assessment models.
3. Research characteristics (incl. originality and creativity)
(1) Questionnaire survey in 10 regions of the world enables us to assess products with global supply chain.
(2) LCIA methodology based on natural sciences and advanced method in environmental economics increase
the reliability of assessed results of product LCA.
(3) It is possible to cover various environmental problems such as global warming, water scarcity, biodiversity.
4. Anticipated effects and future applications of research
Global companies evaluate environmental performances for their products by themselves. Persons in charge
apply assessed results to promote green purchasing in other countries. Furthermore, they play an active role
as environmental experts in intra-firm, affiliated companies and partner country.
Development of Damage Assessment Methodology for Global‐Scale Impact Categories
(Quantitative assessment relate environmental burdens with environmental impacts)
Climate model MAGICC/SCENGEN
CO2emission
Human health
CO2concentration
Risk assessment
Honda, Kunst
Hijioka
Temperature
Crops
¾rice
Thermal stress Cold stress diarrhea
¾wheat
Maralia Dengue Disaster Malnutrition ¾Soy bean
Matsuoka Martens
Tol
Parry
Health damage
Energy Land
¾air conditioning ¾Dry land
¾Wet land
¾heater
ExternE
Takahashi
DALY
Sea level
IIASA
BIOMOD
Biodiversity
¾Land ¾Water area
Matsuda
IUCN
Yen Loss of social assets EINES Species loss
Damage assessment
Damage Factor Health damage/1tCO2 Loss of social assets/1tCO2 Species loss/1tCO2
Scope of this methodology
(1)GHG（CO2, methane, N2O etc.)
(2)Water (river, ground, rain etc.)
(3)Wood (natural, man-made)
(4)Mineral resources (Au, Ag, Pd, In etc.)
(5)Fossil fuels (coal, natural gases, oil etc.)
Development of Weighting Methodology using Environmental Economics
(Monetization of environmental impacts)
Develop weighting factors for 10 regions of the world (WTP/1 unit of damage)
IFFSU
IFWEU
IFJPN
IFNAM
IFMEA
Scope of this study
IFSSA
IFCNA Scope of LIME2
IFSAS
IFLAM
IFOCE
Conjoint analysis (Advanced method in environmental economics) will be applied
Questionnaire
Damage factor
Survey in 10 regions
Waiting factors
Statistic analysis
WTP
Integration factors (WTP/environmental burden)
WTP: Willingness to pay, IF: Integration Factor