Pollinators in LCA: towards a framework for impact assessment

Several human interventions are threatening biodiversity at an unprecedented scale and pace, thus potentially affecting the provision of critical ecosystem services. Pollination is a crucial component of environmental and socio-economic well-being worldwide and accounting for it is fundamental in any effort that aims to enhance the sustainability of certain human activities. However, none of the existing life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) models effectively accounts for the role of pollinators and pollination services. The present study is a review of environmental pressures acting on pollinators and potentially threatening pollination services which represents the first step towards their integration in the LCIA framework. Starting from pollination as pivotal ecosystem service and pollinators as target group for protection, this review aims to identify the modelling needs for the impact assessment in the LCIA context.