Room: Poster Area
Date: Tuesday, 19 May 2026
Time: 15:00 - 16:00 CEST
Session code 2AV.1
Sustainability assessments of biomass and bioenergy and social perspectives
Social Life Cycle Analysis of the Bioeconomy Development: A Systematic Review
Short Introductive summary
The transition toward a bioeconomy is central to Europe’s sustainability goals, aiming to replace fossil-based systems with renewable, biobased alternatives. Yet, while environmental and economic aspects have been widely examined, social implications remain underexplored. This study presents a systematic literature review of Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) applications within the European bioeconomy to identify key trends, methodologies, and research gaps. Using the PRISMA protocol, 49 studies from Scopus and Web of Science were analyzed according to country, approach, data sources, system boundaries, stakeholder groups, and indicators. Results show that most studies deviate from UNEP-SETAC guidelines, often lacking defined functional units, boundaries, or stakeholder engagement. “Workers” are the most frequently assessed group, while local communities and consumers receive limited attention. The review highlights the need for standardized yet context-sensitive S-LCA frameworks to better capture regional and social diversity, informing more socially sustainable bioeconomy transitions in Europe—and particularly in Ireland.
Presenter
Oksana AVENDANO
University College Dublin, IRELAND
Presenter's biography
Oksana is a PhD student at University College Dublin, part of the BioAsess project, her research focuses on the social impacts of the Irish bioeconomy and aims to help ensure community perspectives are better understood and reflected in decision making.
Biographies and Short introductive summaries are supplied directly by presenters and are published here unedited
Co-authors:
E. Gusciute, University College Dublin, IRELAND
F. Murphy, University College Dublin, IRELAND
Session reference: 2AV.1.7