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This year’s Life Cycle Summer School 2024 (LCSS 2024), the 13th in the series under the broader program “Life Cycle Approaches to Sustainable Regional Development”, will take place from 19. – 22. September 2024 in Berlin, Germany.

During the Summer School, we will will explore how life cycle approaches and methodologies can help assess the sustainability of zero carbon solutions in general and emission reduction proposals in particular, with a strong application to cities and regions.

Global climate change has become an existential challenge in contemporary discourse. Anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions are emerging as a primary driver, accompanied by other contributors, such as methane,  and presenting cities and regions with a variety of challenges. The international community recognizes the need to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, and various mechanisms and targets have been adopted at international meetings. The term ‘net zero carbon’ has become a popular buzzword. Net zero carbon initiatives are proliferating among organizations, cities and regions with varying effectiveness and integrity, and others that are pure greenwashing.

Implementing a reduction program and net-zero strategies is complex for several reasons. Accurate quantification of the carbon footprint requires precise assessment methods, ideally in line with ISO standards. The transition from assessment to action is crucial, and we are seeing a spectrum of proposals where various stakeholders advocate different solutions. Notwithstanding their potential effectiveness in reducing carbon emissions, some of these have potentially counterproductive consequences that unfold over different timeframes.

During the summer school, we will explore how life cycle approaches and methodologies can assess the sustainability of net zero carbon solutions for cities and regions, taking into account supply chains and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. We will look into efforts to achieve net zero targets e.g. by the region of Navarra and also by the cities of Berlin and Gothenburg to showcase the levers regional and city administrations can apply.

The summer school is based on short lectures relating to the above subjects followed by intensive workshops and discussion sessions to explore the issues and options in more detail. Participants are encouraged to reflect on how the classroom experience relates to real-life situations in their respective regions. The Summer School experience is intended to give participants insights and understandings that can be immediately applied in their ongoing professional activities whether in research, business or in public institutions.