This book is a uniquely pedagogical yet comprehensive state-of-the-art description of LCA methodology and its broad range of applications. The five parts of the book conveniently provide: I) the history and context of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with its central role as a quantitative and scientifically-based tool supporting society's transition towards a sustainable economy, II) all there is to know about LCA methodology illustrated by a red-thread example that evolves as the reader advances, III) a wealth of information on a broad range of LCA applications with dedicated chapters on policy development, prospective LCA, life cycle management, waste, energy, construction and building, nanotechnology, agrifood, transport, and LCA-related concepts such as footprinting, ecolabelling, design for environment, and cradle to cradle. IV) A cookbook providing the reader with recipes for all the concrete actions needed to perform an LCA. V) An appendix with an LCA report template, a full example LCA report serving as inspiration for students writing their first LCA report, and a more detailed overview of existing LCIA methods and their similarities and differences.