Monetary valuation of environmental impacts is increasingly used as a basis for decisions in environmental and sustainability issues. This project aims to develop a methodology to communicate environmental damage cost data.

Background

Monetary valuation of environmental impacts is increasingly used as a basis for decisions in environmental and sustainability issues. Such data are especially valuable at goal conflicts. Monetary valuations of environmental impacts are easy to use without understanding the many ways they can be calculated and the many perspectives they can represent. Sweden has, via SIS, made ISO start a work on a framework standard for monetary valuation of environmental impacts from emissions and resource extractions. The aim is to create a common language. We lead this work and intend via this project to ensure that the future standard will be relevant for energy issues. We also participate in other international activities.

Purpose

The aim of the project is to develop a methodology to communicate environmental damage cost data. This will be done through:

1) Case studies of energy decisions with sensitivity analyses, to determine which parameters that are most important;

2) A study of how different presentations are understood;

3) Participation in international harmonization.’

Outcomes & Results

Outcomes from the project

1. Participation in and development of the new ISO-standard “Monetary valuation of environmental impacts and related environmental aspects (ISO 14008).
2. Three case studies of energy choices with sensitivity analysis to determine which parameters are most important.
3. The group has developed a survey to study how metadata should be communicated and presented. This survey was disseminated during spring 2018. The results will be an important contribution to the development of ISO 14008.
4. Journal Article in Journal of Cleaner Production vol. 127 (2016), pp 37-48. Choosing a monetary value of greenhouse gases in assessment tools – A comprehensive review. Read it here.
5. A final report from the project has been published. Link to report. 
6. Dissemination at international conferences, such as;
   1. At SETAC Annual meeting in Rome, Italy on May 13-16, 2018 by Tomas Rydberg (IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. Link to poster. Read more.
   2. At LCM 2017 (8th International Conference on Life Cycle Management) in Luxembourg, Luxembourg, 3-6 September 2018. Link to poster.