Utilizing Backcasting and Life Cycle Thinking in Sustainable Management

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide a material for grasping the current state of the existence of various initiatives related to sustainability and to have a future outlook. Focusing on backcasting and life cycle thinking as the basis for companies to realize sustainable development of themselves and society, the history and characteristics of past usage of these ideas, as well as the current movement based on these ideas were overviewed. Focusing on mitigation measures for global warming as an example, it was observed that backcasting is widely spreading into corporate management using the “common language” of SDGs. LCA is expected as a tool to establish quantitative indicators of products or organizations, and to be utilized both in the approach of creating innovation and in the approach of “visualizing” improvements.