Moving towards an Egyptian national life cycle inventory database

• Published in: The international journal of life cycle assessment Vol. 19; no. 8; pp. 1551 - 1558
• Main Authors: Ali, Ahmed AbdelMonteleb Mohammed, Negm, Abdelazim Mohammed, Bady, Mahmoud Farghly, Ibrahim, Mona Gamal Eldin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-08-2014; Springer Berlin Heidelberg; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Arab countries; Categories; Commentary and Discussion Article; Earth and Environmental Science; energy; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Economics; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Financing; fuels; funding; industry; Inventories; Life cycle analysis; Life cycle assessment; life cycle inventory; Life cycles; Partnerships; stakeholders; Stockpiling; Egypt; Egypt, Arab Rep; Africa; Life cycle assessment; National life cycle inventory database development; Life cycle inventory requirements
• ISSN: 0948-3349; 1614-7502
• DOI: 10.1007/s11367-014-0760-z

PURPOSE: Life cycle inventory (LCI) data are region-specific because energy fuel mixtures and methods of production often differ from region to region. LCI database examples include US LCI, Ecoinvent v.2, and NIST, each of which is country-specific. Thus, the main aim of this study is to show that Egypt is in need of an Egyptian National LCI (ENLCI) database and to focus on the means of developing a database specific to Egypt. METHODS: Arab countries have thus far engaged in virtually no life cycle assessment (LCA) studies, and a significant neglect of this matter is in evidence for the continent of Africa and, in particular, Egypt. Thus, this study suggests an organizational and managerial framework for the development of a national LCI database and sheds light on the required LCI database categories and data quality for practical solutions reflecting who is equipped to do what in order to keep pace with the world. RESULTS: The results from this review are useful to standardize the study of the life cycle assessment concept in Egypt; to form a foundation for development of an Egyptian database for facilitating a cleaner environment; to encourage stakeholders, such as the environmental agencies, Egyptian Housing and Building Research Center, and the Ministry of Industry; to propose an organizational framework in which they play a central role; and to provide investment to initiate development. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis indicates that the development of a LCI database specific to Egypt is difficult because Egypt has various technical and organizational challenges, but a roadmap of actions to be taken to move ahead is provided. The success of this roadmap depends on the capacity for developing the necessary technical and financial support and on strong partnerships with industry, government, LCA professionals, and academia.