From: AC Brent
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2002 12:21
AM
To: tomase@entek; methods@lcacenter.org
Subject: Re:
Method Development - Developing Country Specific Impact Procedures RESPOND TO
THIS MESSAGE WITH ---REPLY TO ALL---
Dear Tomas
Our approach is aimed to address some of the
major problems associated with LCIA procedures in South Africa, and I am sure in
many other parts of the world (certainly the African continent). The first is
the lack of background data in terms of national or regional emissions for
normalisation. One could use world emission data that has been published, but if
a procedure is to be region-specific we feel that the current state is better
suited.
Secondly, region-specific damage modelling is
currently on-going and especially on the European continent where
ecosystem-quality is considered. However, available damage-orientated
models have a high uncertainty when applied to South Africa as the ecosystem
(and plant species) are significantly different from those found in Europe. Fate
models of substances that are currently in use, probably have less uncertainty
and we propose to use these for characterisation with adaptations in some cases.
Normalisation, again, addresses the current state
of subsances, land-use, etc. in the natural environment and, based on South
African studies, what the state should be in order to ensure an adequate quality
for ecosystems and human health.
Regards
Alan
----- Original Message -----
From:
Sent: Monday, May 20, 2002 11:10 PM
Subject: Method Development - Developing
Country Specific Impact Procedures RESPOND TO THIS MESSAGE WITH ---REPLY TO
ALL---
Dear Professor Brent,
Thanks for your presentation. Methods that allow
for geographically specific LCIA are interesting. Is it relevant and
practicable to apply your approach also to regions outside South
Africa?
Are you aware of other efforts to develop
geographically specific LCIA?
You use the word normalisation in a way that is
new to me. In my mind, normalisation is when you divide the quantities emitted
of a pollutant - or an environmental impact - by the total amount of
that pollutant or impact in a geographical area during a year. Or by the
yearly amount or impact of an average individual within that area. What is the
difference between normalisation and characterisation in your
terminology?
Kind regards,
Tomas Ekvall
Chalmers University of Technology
Gothenburg,
Sweden