This webinar explores the role of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in supporting industrial symbiosis and low-carbon decision-making. Radu Godina evaluates the sustainability of WAAM; Paul Refalo demonstrates how LCA informs product and system decarbonization; and Mehmet Ali Küçüker explains how integrating LCA with IS enhances resource efficiency and reduces waste. The session highlights LCA’s importance in developing circular industrial ecosystems.
Limits of the Linear Economy
The video examines the shortcomings of the traditional linear economic model, characterised by the “take, make, dispose” approach. This system is shown to rely heavily on finite resources while generating significant waste and environmental impacts, including pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
It highlights how increasing global demand and consumption are intensifying pressure on natural systems, making the current model unsustainable in the long term. The need for a systemic transition towards more efficient and regenerative economic models is presented as both urgent and necessary.
Circular Economy Solutions and Systemic Change
The video introduces the circular economy as a comprehensive alternative aimed at minimising waste and maximising resource efficiency. It focuses on strategies such as reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and recycling, which enable materials and products to remain in use for longer and reduce dependence on virgin resources.
The transition is described as requiring innovation in product design, business models, and value chains, supported by policy frameworks and stakeholder collaboration. The video also emphasises the importance of consumer awareness and behavioural change in enabling circular systems.
Overall, the circular economy is presented as a viable pathway to decouple economic growth from resource use, fostering sustainability, resilience, and long-term value creation.