International Conference of Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA 2022)

Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) is a method that allows to evaluate the real and potential social and societal aspects of goods and services.

It was my great pleasure to open the 8th International Conference on this subject in Aachen, Germany, on Monday 5 september. This is an ideal opportunity to present the latest methodological developments and best practices in social life cycle assessment (S-LCA).

During my speech, I had the opportunity to recall my commitment to the principle of "Leave no one behind", the theme chosen for this new edition. This guiding concept, which I use as a political compass, is an unequivocal commitment to eradicate all forms of poverty. To eliminate discrimination and exclusion, to reduce inequalities and vulnerabilities that leave people behind and that are undermining the potential of individuals and humanity at large... This is what a  fair and just transition is!

A just transition can only succeed thanks to a broad and long-term societal dialogue. This dialogue needs to involve citizens, academics, members of civil society and governments To that end, I launched a series of preparatory work before the summer to shape the federal contribution to the National Conference for a Just Transition that I will organize in 2023. It will be followed, during the Belgian Presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2024, by an international conference on a just transition.