Open Access

Pauline Suski

• This dissertation addresses the environmental assessment of urban sharing within the framework of the circular economy. In response to severe environmental degradation and the growing urgency for sustainable consumption and production patterns, this work proposes an innovative approach for environmental assessments, combining life cycle assessment (LCA) with theories of social practice. Urban sharing is utilized as a case for reducing resource demand while fostering societal well-being.Urban sharing is conceptualized here as a social innovation embedded in urban environments, with the potential to reshape material flows and societal relationships. Unlike the more commercially driven sharing economy, urban sharing prioritizes communityThis dissertation addresses the environmental assessment of urban sharing within the framework of the circular economy. In response to severe environmental degradation and the growing urgency for sustainable consumption and production patterns, this work proposes an innovative approach for environmental assessments, combining life cycle assessment (LCA) with theories of social practice. Urban sharing is utilized as a case for reducing resource demand while fostering societal well-being.Urban sharing is conceptualized here as a social innovation embedded in urban environments, with the potential to reshape material flows and societal relationships. Unlike the more commercially driven sharing economy, urban sharing prioritizes community engagement, sustainability, and sufficiency by encouraging social practices that reduce the need for new goods and services. The dissertation argues that, when properly approached, ur-ban sharing could contribute to the transition from a linear to a circular economy. The methodological foundation of this work is built on the integration of social practice theory into LCA, allowing for a more nuanced and comprehensive assessment of how consumption patterns drive environmental impacts. Social practices - routine actions like mobility, food consumption, or community activities - are treated as bundles of meanings, competences, and materials that organize everyday life. By assessing these practices, the research introduces a new LCA framework capable of capturing the environmental potential of transformative social phenomena like urban sharing. The dissertation is structured around three key publications that develop and test this new framework. The first provides a theoretical discussion of LCA's limitations in addressing transformative change and proposes the social practice-based LCA as an alternative. The second explores how urban sharing is embedded in daily life, using empirical research to reveal the social and material contexts in which these practices operate. The third quantifies the environmental impacts of urban sharing activities, applying the newly developed framework to assess their potential for environmental sustainability.The findings suggest that urban sharing holds significant environmental potential, particularly in reducing material consumption and fostering sustainable lifestyles. However, the research also highlights the importance of embedding environmental assessments in their social contexts to accurately reflect the complexities of human action and societal change. This approach can better inform decision-makers about the pathways toward more sustainable consumption systems.The dissertation concludes that integrating social practice theory with LCA provides a robust methodological framework for assessing sustainability interventions. By focusing on the practices that drive consumption and environmental impacts, this research offers new insights into how transformative change can be supported and accelerated in the pursuit of a circular economy.…