About the Summer School
The sixth Life Cycle Summer School was an opportunity for professionals and regional managers to become familiar with expanded LCA approaches to sustainable development at regional level. The objective was to encourage a greater degree of life cycle thinking by influential social partners who wish to enhance the effectiveness of their sustainability programmes, and who have not so far employed these techniques extensively. The Summer School was aimed at administrators in regional institutions, academics, and consultants as well as industry managers and associations and other partners that have an interest in promoting regional sustainability
The Summer School aimed to develop familiarity with, and insights into, life cycle management approaches that can contribute to regional sustainability. It expands the managerial toolbox currently employed for the promotion of, for example, circular economy, maintaining a vibrant SME industrial sector, developing local resource-based economies, and in gaining a better understanding of waste and pollution challenges in regional communities. Life cycle approaches can also assist in enhancing landscape and natural resource management.
The Summer School was based on a recent book “Life cycle approaches to sustainable regional development (2017)”. A number of the summer school lecturers are authors of important chapters in this publication.
This 2017 edition of the summer school explored selected topics such as expanded LCA approaches for mapping regional materials flows, use of LCA for mobility policy, life cycle techniques for landscape and land-use, as well as building a LCM toolbox for SMEs. Through lectures and workshops, these instruments were examined for their role in strengthening regional programmes in circular economy, in industrial innovation and in building a bio-economy. Mature students enrolled in the course were encouraged to share their experience in these subjects.
For those wishing to update their knowledge on basic LCA, an introductory webinar ahead of the Summer School was offered.
The Summer School was linked with the International Conference on Life Cycle Management 2017, in Luxembourg which took place from 3-6 September 2017.
OBJECTIVES OF THE 2017 SUMMER SCHOOL
Purpose – improve the practical use of life cycle approaches that can lead to a higher level of sustainable development at regional level.
Objective – enhance participants’ knowledge of, and ability to apply, available life cycle tools, and their application to regional sustainability planning.
