There is growing interest among amateur athletes in participating in sports competition events, which can be seen as a form of "sports tourism". The climate impacts of such practices have been relatively underexplored - particularly from a holistic perspective that includes the consumption of sporting goods. To address this gap, this study combines life cycle assessment (LCA) with survey data on the consumption practices of sport event participants, including expenditure on sporting goods, services and travel. The study contributes new insights into the climate impact hotspots of mass participation running and cycling events, highlighting car-based travel to events, air travel to training camps abroad, and the overall volume of sporting goods consumption. These findings support key strategies for reducing climate impacts. For event organizers, this includes offering or facilitating low-carbon transport options and developing alternatives to training camps abroad to support participant motivation and preparation. For individual participants, impactful actions include avoiding fossil-fuel-based transport, refraining from air travel to training camps abroad and embracing sufficiency-oriented and circular consumption practices of sporting goods. By presenting life cycle climate impacts for a range of sporting goods, this study provides a foundation for evaluating and mitigating the environmental impacts of similar events.

Sufficiency, or the concept of “getting by with less”, is increasingly recognized as an essential strategy for environmental sustainability. Yet, life cycle assessment (LCA), is currently not capable of assessing sufficiency measures, potentially limiting their societal implementation. Therefore, this paper aims to advance the capability of LCA to assess sufficiency measures and to explore their effects in a real-world case study in the Swedish hospitality sector, in terms of climate change impact and guest satisfaction. Sufficiency-LCA is designed to assess both the environmental impacts of sufficiency measures and their potential changes in functional output, in other words, how much functionality is “given up” as results of people “getting by with less”. Such an assessment is crucial for actors seeking to balance potential environmental gains and functional tradeoffs, in this case, measured as effects on guest satisfaction. The case study focuses on mountain stations with restaurant and accommodation services in the Swedish backcountry. Assessed sufficiency measures include reducing the use of fresh ingredients in restaurants to reduce the need for helicopter transportation, and reducing the use of climate-intensive ingredients such as meat and dairy. Data on guest satisfaction were collected through surveys. Results show that reducing the use of fresh ingredients in the restaurants, to reduce the need for helicopter transport, offers limited climate benefits and slight negative effects on guest satisfaction. In contrast, reducing meat and dairy has greater potential for climate change mitigation at a comparable negative effect on guest satisfaction. In addition, it was observed that actual guest satisfaction after implementing sufficiency measures is consistently higher than guests presumed beforehand, suggesting sufficiency can be more acceptable in practice than expected. In future research, Sufficiency-LCA could be further developed in more controlled experimental settings and broadened to include further indicator types beyond guest satisfaction. The findings validate Sufficiency-LCA as a promising tool that can provide decision-making support for actors who consider implementing sufficiency measures in efforts to reduce environmental impact. By revealing both the potential environmental gains and the impacts on functional output, Sufficiency-LCA can support a broader adoption of sufficiency measures in pursuit of reaching sustainability goals. Given the increasing importance of sufficiency and LCA in the sustainability transition, Sufficiency-LCA addresses a crucial gap in sustainability science and practice.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is highly needed and widely used to assess the environmental performance of circular economy (CE) measures such as reusing and sharing. However, the results of such LCAs are hampered by limited knowledge about the use phase of consumer products and oversimplification of important use phase aspects such as product functionality, user behavior, displacement, and rebound effects. This paper aims to validate the usefulness of a framework designed to assist practitioners in the generation and utilization of such knowledge in LCAs of circular measures. To validate the framework, a case study is used: reuse of shell jackets enabled by "premium secondhand" stores for outdoor equipment and clothing. The paper demonstrates that conclusions about the environmental performance of reuse can easily be altered depending on the functional unit definition, whether real user behavior data are used, and whether imperfect displacement and rebound effects are considered. For instance, shell jacket life cycles that include reuse and thus may be labeled "circular" have significantly higher environmental impact per use occasion than "linear" ones (used by one principal user the entire lifespan), since "circular" shell jackets are used less frequently, in particular during their first use span. Through facilitating the generation and utilization of environmentally relevant use phase data, which are otherwise often overlooked, the framework seems capable of supporting a better understanding of the environmental performance of CE measures.

It is increasingly clear that reaching environmental sustainability requires not only efficiency (reduced environmental impact per functionality) but also sufficiency measures (reduced environmental impact through reduced or changed functionality). Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a widely used tool to study environmental impacts related to consumption. However, because of the LCA convention of only comparing alternative products with equal functionality, it is currently inept as a method for assessing the environmental impacts of sufficiency measures. Against this background, this short paper aims to stimulate a discussion on how sufficiency measures can be assessed with LCA methodology. By analyzing the very few LCAs of explicit sufficiency measures in terms of the components of a functional unit (what function is provided, how much, for how long, and how well) features of a potential new branch of LCA methodology are outlined, called Sufficiency LCA. In Sufficiency LCA, product alternatives need to be similar enough so that the what component of the functional unit can be equal, while the other components, how much, how long, and how well, are allowed to be non-equal. Thus, a key feature of Sufficiency LCA concerns functional non-equivalence of compared product alternatives, which is not allowed or neglected in conventional LCA, but which could be allowed, acknowledged and quantified in Sufficiency LCA. Developing Sufficiency LCA could be critical considering that sufficiency measures are expected to be required, and that LCA is expected to be serviceable as decision-making support, in the transition toward environmental sustainability.

Using the case of outdoor shell jackets, this research studies obsolescence and potential lifespan extension by re-examining how product functionality, objectively and subjectively, develops over the course of product lifespans. In particular, the study focuses on second-hand stores for outdoor products. Functionality is indicated by user perceptions, visual assessments, laboratory measurements and price data, collected at first use, second-hand resale and end-of-life. Perceived functionality and price decline more rapidly (5–6 % per year) than assessed and measured functionality (around 3 % per year). This could be explained by properties related to appearance, which are not assessed nor measured but influence user perceptions and price. Discontentment regarding such properties appears more relevant for obsolescence than inadequate performance, suggesting the potential for design for attachment and timeless design. The relative stability of measured functionality over time suggests that a barrier for second-hand sales, concern about performance, could be ameliorated by a potential functionality-label.

Life cycle assessments of circular economy measures (CE LCA) of consumer products have been criticized for oversimplifying important aspects of the use phase such as user behavior and rebound effects, limiting our understanding of the environmental performance of circular economy measures. This study tests the usefulness of a framework designed to facilitate accounting for such aspects, by applying the framework to a case study of reuse of shell jackets enabled by "premium secondhand" outdoor stores. Methods for collecting use phase data were user surveys and interviews with store managers. Using the framework on this case study generated several novel insights which are interesting in themselves and as inputs to CE LCA. For instance, secondhand shell jackets have a significantly lower frequency of use during their first use span compared to the second and to shell jackets in the linear reference scenario. This implies that reuse in this case does not function as a mere use extension of otherwise similar use phases as is commonly assumed. The generation of such insights, which hitherto have been lacking in CE LCAs, points to the usefulness of the framework as a tool for opening the "black box" of the use phase in CE LCAs to improve understanding of the environmental performance of circular economy measures.

The importance of metals for modern society and future trends puts pressure on companies to handle issues concerning potential mineral resource scarcity (i.e. deficiency in quantity compared with demand). Companies see the need to handle such potential scarcity both in the short-term (is the availability constrained for our current products?) and the long-term (is our current use affecting the availability for future generations?). This study aims to examine the use of complementary methods for short and long-term scarcity in a company context, through a case study on permanent magnet electric traction motors, to provide both empirical and methodological insights. To mitigate long-term scarcity impacts, the results point to copper, neodymium and to some extent dysprosium as priority. These metals contribute to a large share of such impacts both due to themselves and their companion metals. In the short-term, neodymium and dysprosium, which are often regarded as critical (i.e. high supply disruption probability and high vulnerability to supply disruption), were found to be substitutable in the electric motor, reducing their criticality. Instead, the electric motor was most vulnerable to a potential supply disruption of iron and silicon because of no or low substitutability in electrical steel. Methodologically, these perhaps unexpected results, demonstrate that criticality requires a more context-specific assessment than often applied, especially regarding substitutability. By using complementary methods, decision-making about potential mineral resource scarcity impacts in company contexts could become more comprehensive and distinctly address both short and long-term scarcity impacts.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) research on the performance of circular economy (CE) measures such as reuse, repair and remanufacturing has been criticized for inadequate consideration of functional equivalency of circular compared to new products, allocation between use phases, displacement rates, rebound effects, product use and user behavior. For such reasons, it has been argued that our understanding of the environmental performance of CE is poor and over-optimistic. Motivated by these criticisms, this paper presents an outline of a conceptual framework developed to improve CE LCA research. The framework was developed through literature review, workshops and ongoing CE LCAs in the sport and outdoor sector. The paper overviews challenges related to mentioned criticisms and possible approaches to addressing them, presents a model for how aspects influential to CE LCA results interrelate, and, proposes a structure for describing product-user life cycles more accurately. The outlined conceptual framework could be an important step towards improving CE LCAs and, ultimately, our understanding of environmental outcomes of CE.

Regarding mineral resources, there is ambiguity around concepts such as scarcity, rarity, criticality and depletion and associated assessment methods. This paper investigates three method groups: life cycle impact assessment (LCIA), criticality assessment and life cycle sustainability impact assessment methods. The aim is to clarify how these method groups and concepts relate and their potential roles in a comprehensive mineral resource availability assessment. The study finds that their modeling approaches and practical implementations are sometimes misaligned with what they aim to assess. This results in similarities between methods from different method groups. Some LCIA-methods include elements which belong to criticality assessment, which could explain some of the ambiguity. A reason for misalignment is a lack of distinction between mineral resource stocks, funds and flows. The lack thereof also results in invalid impact pathway cause-effect chains and imprecise terminology allowing for misunderstandings in the "resource debate". Distinguishing between mineral resource stocks, funds and flows resolves misalignments within methods and between method groups and, in turn, ambiguity around concepts such as scarcity, rarity, criticality and depletion. It follows that long-term scopes need to include assessments of depletion of ecospheric stocks. Methods focusing on factors which represent or can influence magnitude and location of technospheric flows are suitable for short term scopes. Different types of technospheric funds, such as resources in active use, end of life products and landfills, can be relevant in short, medium and long-term scopes. Altogether, assessments of stocks, funds and flows are complementary parts of a comprehensive mineral resource availability assessment.

Purpose How to assess impacts of mineral resources is much discussed in life cycle assessment (LCA). We see a need for, and a lack of, a mineral resource impact assessment method that captures the perspective of long-term global scarcity of elements. Method A midpoint-level mineral resource impact assessment method matching this perspective is proposed, called the crustal scarcity indicator (CSI), with characterization factors called crustal scarcity potentials (CSPs) measured as kg silicon equivalents per kg element. They are based on crustal concentrations, which have been suggested to correlate with several important resource metrics (reserves, reserve base, reserves plus cumulative production, and ore deposits), thereby constituting proxies for long-term global elemental scarcity. Results and discussion Ready-to-use CSPs are provided for 76 elements, through which the CSI can be calculated by multiplying with the respective masses of elements extracted from Earth’s crust for a certain product. As follows from their crustal concentrations, the three platinum-group metals iridium, osmium, and rhodium have the highest CSPs, whereas silicon, aluminum, and iron have the lowest CSPs. Conclusion An evaluation of the CSPs and the characterization factors of four other mineral resource impact assessment methods in LCA (the abiotic depletion, the surplus ore, the cumulative exergy demand, and the EPS methods) were conducted. It showed that the CSPs are temporally reliable, calculated in a consistent way, and have a high coverage of elements in comparison. Furthermore, a quantitative comparison with the characterization factors of the four other methods showed that the CSPs reflect long-term global elemental scarcity comparatively well while requiring a minimum of assumptions and input parameters. Recommendations We recommend using the CSI for assessments of long-term global elemental scarcity in LCA. Since the CSI is at the midpoint level, it can be complemented by other mineral resource impact assessment methods (both existing and to be developed) to provide a more comprehensive view of mineral resource impacts in an LCA.

Circular measures such as long-life designs, reuse, repair and recycling have been suggested for prolonging scarce metal life cycles and reducing the dependence on primary resources. This paper explores to what extent circular measures could mitigate metals scarcity when adopted to complex products. Based on three real cases, the effect of extending the use of laptops, smartphones and LED systems before recycling are assessed for between 7 and 15 scarce metals using material flow analysis. As expected, benefits can be gained from such extensions, but, importantly, differ substantially between metals since they occur in various components with various service lifetimes and functional recycling rates vary. Notably, risks of flipping the ranking in favor of short use before recycling are identified: if service lifetimes are short, designs are metal-intensive or if metal contents differ between products. Furthermore, regardless of measure, sizable and varying losses of each metal from functional use occur since all products are not collected for recycling and all metals are not functionally recycled. Thus, neither use extension measures nor recycling can alone nor in combination radically mitigate metals scarcity and criticality currently. Overall, it is a challenge to target the multitude of scarce and critical metals applied in complex products through circular measures. Careful analysis beyond simplified guidelines such as OR frameworks" are recommended. As the importance of scarce metals availability and the attention to the circular economy are expected to continue, these insights may be used for avoiding efforts with unclear or minor benefits or even drawbacks.

The circular economy is proposed to reduce environmental impact, but as yet, there is limited empirical evidence of this sort from studying real, commercial circular economy business cases. This study investigates the environmental impacts of using second-hand laptops, mediated by a commercial reuse operation, instead of new ones. The method used is life cycle assessment (LCA) and special attention is given to laptops' metal resource use by using several complementary life cycle impact assessment methods. The results show that all activities required to enable reuse of laptops are negligible, despite the reuse company's large geographical scope. Two principal features of reuse reduce environmental impacts. Firstly, use extension reduces all impacts considerably since there are large embedded impacts in components. Secondly, the reuse company steers non-reusable laptops into state-of-the-art recycling. This provides additional impact reductions, especially with regards to toxicity and metal resource use. The results for metal resource use however diverge between LCIA methods in terms of highlighted metals which, in turn, affects the degree of impact reduction. LCIA methods that characterise functionally recycled metals as important, result in larger impact reduction, since these emphasise the merits of steering flows into state-of-the-art recycling. The study thus demonstrates how using second-hand laptops, mediated by a commercial reuse operation, compared to new ones, in practice, reduces different types of environmental impact through synergistic relationships between reuse and recycling. Moreover, it illustrates how the choice of LCIA method can influence interpretations of metal resource use impacts when applying circular economy measures to information and communication technologies (ICT).

A circular economy aims at decoupling value creation from resource throughput. For circular economy to contribute to environmental and resource improvements, there is need for critical assessments regarding in what general situations, beyond individual cases, solutions may lead to improvements. On the product-level, there is need for synthesized knowledge accounting for a wide range of contexts and environmental impacts. We investigate what resource efficiency (RE) measures result in reduced physical flows and environmental impacts, depending on the characteristics of products and their life cycles. The study is limited to physical measures on a product system level, irrespective of manner of implementation. A library of comparative assessments (primarily life cycle assessments and material flow analyses) was built, covering a wide range of products and RE measures. A framework was formulated for analysing for which product characteristics a measure tends to improve RE, and under which contexts there are trade-offs to take into account. For example, sharing of products is best suited for durable and infrequently used products that tend not to reach their full technical lifetime. A trade-off is that sharing can increase transportation for accessing shared stock. The identified key product characteristics were: whether products are consumable or durable, active or passive, typically used for their full technical lifetimes or discarded before being worn out, the product's frequency of use and whether function remains at a product's end of use. Pace of development matters for suitability of measures for active, durable products, while complexity is relevant for restorative measures and recycling.

Scarce metals are increasingly used in modern technology, but significant quantities are lost for further functional use in recycling. This study investigates if other measures for a more resource-efficient and "circular economy" (CE) can increase efficiency of scarce metal use. Three CE alternatives, inspired by real business solutions for providing lighting, notebooks and smartphones are compared with respective conventional alternatives, using material flow analysis. Scarce metal efficiency gains are primarily realized by extending the use phase of products or components. However, the extension must be sufficient in order not to be cancelled out by any additional scarce metals that enable the extension. Furthermore, losses of scarce metals occur whenever components are replaced. Therefore, CE alternatives may not necessarily improve efficiency of scarce metals use. Advances to functionally recycle scarce metals and designs that enable components and products to be kept in functional use for longer are needed.

In a resource-restrained world, the need for an alternative to the current linear flows of materials is more urgent than ever. The take-make-waste practices in modern society is unsustainable both for economic and environmental reasons. Circular economy is being presented as a strategy to decrease the use of natural resources, along with other means for resource efficiency (RE). However, knowledge is limited regarding when solutions aimed to be resource-efficient and effective really lead to the intended outcome. We present a pilot analytical framework which distinguishes different means for increased RE and enables analysis of under which conditions and for which type of products, sectors and value-chains they are effective. The framework consists of a typology of different means for RE and is intended to help systematise learnings from assessment studies in the field. It is based on the concepts of resource efficiency, circular economy and understanding of different assessment methods such as LCA, LCC and MFA. The typology is delimited to physical measures to increase RE, and does not include different business or administrative means to achieve it. The framework distinguishes three main means to RE; production efficiency (e.g. increase yields and valorise by-product streams); more efficient use of products (e.g. intensify use, prolong product life, and energy efficiency); closing the loops (e.g. reuse and recycling). Moreover, design was identified as a key-enabler for these measures, along with preconditions categorised into; physical product, product-chain, external, and user behaviour. To facilitate a systematic literature analysis, four supplementary categories were added to the framework; product characteristics; assessment study characteristics (method and vital assumptions and conditions); results from study; and own conclusions and reflections. The outcome is an analytical framework, assisting learning from assessment studies and identification of generic conclusions of which means for RE are effective for different products, sectors and value-chains.

I dagens ekonomiska berakningar overskattas kostnaderna for klimatatgarder, vilket skapar en klimatpolitisk bromskloss. Det bristfalliga fokuset pa kortsiktigt kostnadseffektiva utslappsminskningar gor att den nationella omstallningen sannolikt bade fordyras och fordrojs, skriver Max Jonsson och Hampus Andre.

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