Development of a Social Life Cycle Assessment Indicator Framework for CO₂ Marine Transport in CCS Value Chain

Abstract

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is increasingly recognised as an essential component of climate mitigation strategies, particularly for industrial sectors with limited decarbonisation alternatives. As CCS systems evolve towards larger scale and transboundary deployment, the sustainability of CO₂ transport infrastructure becomes a critical consideration. While marine transportation of CO₂ is gaining attention as a flexible and scalable transport option, existing studies have largely focused on technical performance and economic aspects, with comparatively limited attention to structured social sustainability assessment. This study presents the development of an indicator-based Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) framework that focuses on the structuring and operationalisation of social sustainability indicators for CO₂ marine transportation within emerging CCS value chains, rather than on impact interpretation or performance evaluation. The framework is operationalised through a multi tab Excel-based inventory that enables systematic organisation of sustainability information across several analytical layers. The framework organises social sustainability assessment through defined categories, impact subcategories and indicators assigned to each CO₂ marine transport value chain participant. The proposed indicator set addresses key social sustainability themes relevant to CO₂ marine transport, such as occupational health and safety, working conditions, employment quality, local community safety perception, access to information, emergency preparedness, and transparency and governance practices.