Integrating Life Cycle Assessment into the Framework of Environmental Impact Assessment for Urban Systems: Framework and Case Study of Masdar City, Abu Dhabi

摘要: Planning urban expansion under the interconnected Sustainable Development Goals requires a systemic analysis of its environmental impacts. The benefits integrating widely used system tool life cycle assessment (LCA) into planning process impact (EIA) are described in literature. However, not many applications such an integration have been conducted. aim this study is to refine framework for LCA EIA and apply example expansion: Masdar City Abu Dhabi. integrated builds on complementarity between scope steps tools assesses impacts areas protection: human health, ecosystem, resources. then applied vehicles, buildings, infrastructure city’s first development phase (DP1). Major stressors include loss existing desert ecosystem utilization non-renewable sources energy at various stages DP1. Substituting natural gas-based electricity with solar power could potentially save 46% current carbon emissions. To mitigate land transformation impacts, construction “close-to-nature” artificial habitats, increased use low-carbon fuels suggested.