Conceptual basis for the european sustainability footprint

Sustainability is central to the policy objectives of the European Commission (EC), but a widely accepted integrated sustainability assessment framework in support of policy analysis and development is currently lacking. Here, we describe the conceptual basis for the proposed European Sustainability Footprint (ESF) - an integrated sustainability assessment framework for establishing a baseline and tracking trends with respect to the sustainability of European production and consumption. This includes scenario modelling the potential impacts of EC policy alternatives. Specifically, the European Sustainability Footprint will be comprised of a selection of life-cycle based indicators (environmental, social, and economic) which can be assessed against defined sustainability targets and thresholds.JRC.H.8-Sustainability Assessmen