Sustainability evaluation of case studies | Umweltbundesamt

In parallel with the research and documentation of best-practice case studies on sustainable chemistry, UBA (FG IV 1.1) has developed a sustainability reference framework for these case studies. This reference framework is essentially qualitative in nature, but uses quantitative data as far as it is already available for the case studies. The aim of the workshop was to discuss with stakeholders in the context of sustainable chemistry strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement of the reference framework through four case studies.

Key conclusions and recommendations from the discussion were:

• Distinguish between relative and absolute sustainability evaluation.
• Carry out a materiality or hot-spot analysis prior to the sustainability evaluation.
• Define system boundaries (time, space, supply chains) for the sustainability evaluation.
• Summarize the sustainability evaluation (possibly with matrix).
• Concerning the fourth evaluation level (Agenda 2030):
  The aim is to assess the extent to which a project makes its maximum possible contribution to the SDG.
  If a project cannot equally contribute to the three dimensions of sustainability, it is nevertheless possible that it contributes substantially to the achievement of the SDGs.
• Focus on current status or prospect: Are current or future impacts of the project paramount - or both?
• Distinguish between efficiency and effectiveness.
• Structure the documentation of case studies more systematically.

A summary documentation of the conversation can be found in the document-section.