Beyond boundaries: Comparative perspectives on attributional and consequential life cycle assessment

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is widely regarded as the most comprehensive methodology for evaluating the environmental impacts of products and systems. Two principal modeling approaches have emerged within the LCA discipline: attributional LCA (ALCA) and consequential LCA (CLCA). While ALCA aims to describe the environmental burden associated with the production and use of a product under existing conditions, CLCA seeks to capture the system-wide environmental consequences of a decision or change. This paper presents a structured literature review of the evolution, methodological distinctions, applications, and ongoing debates surrounding ALCA and CLCA. By comparing key studies, standardization efforts, and recent sector-specific applications, we highlight the strengths and limitations of each approach and outline recommendations for future research and practice.