Environmental pressures acting at a local and, particularly, global scale have long drawn the attention of the academic community and more recently of decision- and policy-makers and the general public. The effects of climate change, which are currently unfolding before our very eyes, are just a typical example of environmental pressures acting on a global scale and suggest the need for identifying and quantifying the effect of human activities on the environment. Water, air, and soil pollution also comprise problems of emerging environmental concern. To effectively address environmental pressures and curtail wasteful and polluting practices, state-of-the-art and robust tools should be employed. Among the existing methods for identifying and quantifying the environmental sustainability of human activities, the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology has emerged as a promising tool. As such, this Special Issue will aim to shed light on the environmental sustainability of various engineering processes and on sustainable production and consumption patterns by making use of robust tools, such as LCA methodology. Furthermore, focus is also placed on energy generation and renewable energy technologies, since currently, the global energy mix is fossil-fuel-dependent, thus having a huge impact on the environment and human health. Works dealing with the treatment, depollution, and environmental remediation of soil, air, and water are also encouraged.
Keywords: sustainable production and consumption; circular economy; resource recovery and valorization; sustainable biofuel production; green, smart and sustainable infrastructure; clean energy generation; sustainable water and wastewater treatment; sustainable cities and rural communities; United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals.