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Building a Shared Future: The Global LCA Platform Takes Shape

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is increasingly used in policy, industry, and research to inform decisions and to support the achievement of internationally agreed goals, guide action on impact hotspots, identify trade-offs, and ensure consistency and coherence across policies and sectors. However, as its use expands, structural limitations in the current LCA ecosystem have become more visible and impede a faster scale-up of LCA use.

Today, life-cycle data and methods are highly fragmented. Databases operate with different formats, nomenclature, system boundaries, and quality criteria. Concepts are interpreted and operationalized differently across systems, making data exchange and comparison resource intensive. Manual mapping between databases is often required, reducing efficiency and increasing the risk of inconsistencies. At the same time, access to high-quality datasets remains uneven across regions, limiting meaningful participation in global sustainability processes. Growing regulatory and market demands for transparent, traceable environmental data further exposes these gaps.

To address these challenges, the Life Cycle Initiative initiated discussions with hundreds of partners across the world towards a Global LCA Platform: a connected, interoperable infrastructure to improve access to LCA data, methods, and capacity-building tools worldwide. The platform is not intended to replace existing databases or standards. Instead, it aims to provide a common technical and governance backbone that enables semantic alignment, structured data exchange, transparent quality assurance, and collaboration across regions and sectors towards aligned calculation rules. It builds on ongoing efforts such as GLAD and GLAM and aligns with UNEP’s Global Environmental Data Strategy. Following a kick-off workshop in Milan (Italy) on 10–11 July 2025, four technical working groups were established and have been designing the platform blueprint and initial components through 2025–2026. A workshop with LCA service providers during the TianGong Forum on 25 March is the next milestone.

We invite experts, institutions, and potential funding partners to collaborate in shaping this global effort. Contributions including technical, institutional, or financial, will be essential to building a robust and inclusive infrastructure that strengthens the credibility and accessibility of LCA worldwide.

Life Cycle Initiative Progress Report 2025 published

The Life Cycle Initiative has released its 2025 Progress Report, highlighting a year of growth, collaboration and global action to advance life-cycle thinking in policy and practice. Read the report to explore the 2025 highlights and see what is ahead for 2026.

Download the Progress Report.

Arabic Version of the Policymaker’s Guide to Life Cycle Assessment Now Available

We are pleased to announce the release of the Arabic version of the Policymaker’s Guide to Life Cycle Assessment.This new translation expands accessibility for policymakers and stakeholders across the region.

Other official UN language versions are also available at the same link, providing a comprehensive set of resources for a global audience.

You are invited to explore and share the guide widely.

Call for Proposals: National Textile Life Cycle Inventory Database for India

The Life Cycle Initiative is encouraging applications to become an implementing partner for the development of an open-access national Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database for the Indian textiles sector. This activity is part of the UNEP InTex India Programme, which supports the transition to circular textile value chains.

The selected organization will conduct activities including data collection, dataset development, review and validation, as well as database design and operationalization. For full details on the scope, technical requirements, and application process, please visit the dedicated call page.

Thank you in advance for disseminating this Call for Proposal through your networks.

Deadline for submissions: 5 April 2026

Have you used Life Cycle Initiative resources to drive better business decisions?

We are looking to hear from organizations/businesses that have applied Life Cycle Initiative’s  tools, guidance, or knowledge products, such as LCA methodologies, hotspot analysis, or sector-specific guidelines, to improve their business strategy, product design, procurement, or sustainability reporting. If your organization has a story to share, we would like to document it as a use case.

Please get in touch with us at contact@lifecycleinitiative.org.

LCA Database Helpdesk: Supporting the Development of National and Regional LCA Databases

The Life Cycle Initiative’s LCA Database Helpdesk is a technical support platform designed for LCA data experts, database developers, and stakeholders interested in establishing or strengthening national or regional LCA databases. It includes expert guidance, a document repository, and a forum for peer exchange, helping countries and organizations plan, develop, and operate LCA data infrastructure that enables more robust life-cycle studies and evidence-based policy decisions.

Access the LCA Database Helpdesk here.

Celebrating 30 Years of Impact: Swedish Life Cycle Center Marks Anniversary

On 29 February 1996, what is now the Swedish Life Cycle Center was founded as CPM at Chalmers University of Technology. Three decades later, the Center remains a vital platform for collaboration between academia, industry, research institutes, and public actors—with applied life-cycle thinking always at its core.

Over the years, the Center has contributed to major developments in the field, including national LCA database infrastructure, Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) formats, and methodologies for recycling and circularity. It has also hosted global gatherings such as LCM 2013 in Gothenburg and, most recently, the SETAC Europe 26th LCA Symposium in 2024.

The 30-year anniversary will be celebrated with a conference on 18 November 2026. Current and former partners, researchers, and practitioners are invited to share memories or perspectives to be highlighted during the event.

Read More

2026 TianGong Forum: Building Globally Connected and Trusted LCA Systems

25-26 March 2026 • Nanjing, China

The 2026 Tiangong Forum, organized by the Industry Technology Innovation Alliance for Carbon Footprint, will bring together global leaders from government, standard-setting bodies, academia, and industry under the theme “Global Connectivity, Interoperability, and Mutual Trust in LCA and Carbon Footprint Systems.”
Key sessions will explore:

• Global LCA Platform development and international collaboration
• Data quality, interoperability, and methodological alignment
• Sectoral practices in petrochemicals, batteries, and electronics
• The role of open-source communities (Brightway, openLCA, TianGong)

The Life Cycle initiative will be organizing a workshop on the Global LCA Platform during this event, on 25 March.

Sustainable Buildings and Construction Summit 2026

20-22 April 2026 • Lausanne, Switzerland

Co-organized by EPFL, UNEP, and the GlobalABC, this summit brings together over 700 participants from government, academia, and the private sector to turn global sustainability commitments into concrete action, with a focus on emerging economies.

The programme includes an Intergovernmental Council for Buildings and Climate (ICBC) technical meeting, workshops on circularity, climate-resilient design, and building electrification, plus academic showcases and roundtables.

Registration is now open, with fee exemptions available for government and UN representatives.
More Information

openLCA Conference 2026

21–23 April 2026 • Berlin, Germany

The openLCA Conference 2026 will be held from 21 to 23 April 2026 in Berlin, Germany. The conference focuses on practical and methodological developments in life cycle assessment (LCA), with an emphasis on tools, databases, and real-world applications. It brings together practitioners, researchers, and software developers to exchange experiences on LCA implementation across sectors.

More information

Two-day course in applied life-cycle thinking

22–23 April 2026 • Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden

This two-day course offers practical training in applying life-cycle thinking within organizations. Designed for strategists, environmental managers, and procurement professionals with no prior LCA knowledge, it covers real-world applications, Product Environmental Footprint, and implementing life-cycle approaches in policy and business.

More Information

AESA Consensus Workshop: Carrying Capacity Allocation

21 May 2026 • Maastricht, the Netherlands

This in-person workshop launches a consensus process on carrying capacity allocation in Absolute Environmental Sustainability Assessment (AESA), following community feedback on the beta guidance. Co-organized by DTU, UCL, and the EC-JRC, the session aims to develop recommended practices and data requirements for key allocation principles.

Held alongside the SETAC Europe Annual Meeting.
Registration deadline: 1 April 2026.

More Information and registration

WasteLCA_5 Conference 2026

7–12 June 2026 • Cetraro (Calabria), Italy

The WasteLCA_5 Conference 2026 will be held from 7 to 12 June 2026 at the Grand Hotel San Michele in Cetraro, Calabria, Italy. The conference focuses on advances in sustainability assessment of municipal and challenging waste management, with particular emphasis on Life Cycle Management (LCM) tools and methodologies, including LCA, LCC, and S-LCA. It brings together researchers, practitioners, and policy experts to exchange insights on methodological developments, digital technologies for LCA, and real-world applications supporting circular economy strategies and sustainable waste management systems.

More information

10th International S-LCA Conference 2026 – First time in Asia Pacific in over two decades

17-19 June 2026 • Jakarta, Indonesia

The 10th International Conference on Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA 2026) will bring together researchers, industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to advance social sustainability in life cycle thinking. Under the theme “Unity in Diversity,” S-LCA 2026 will explore the role of social impact assessment in fostering inclusive sustainability, strengthening cross-industry collaboration, and addressing global challenges. The event welcomes stakeholders from academia, businesses, financial institutions, NGOs, media, producers, and civil society, representing diverse regions and industries.

More information

5th Life Cycle Innovation Conference (LCIC 2026)

1–3 July 2026 • Berlin, Germany (hybrid)

The Life Cycle Innovation Conference (LCIC 2026) will be held from 1 to 3 July 2026 in Berlin, Germany, with hybrid participation options. The conference highlights innovation in life cycle assessment and life cycle thinking, focusing on new methods, tools, and applications supporting sustainable production and consumption. It aims to strengthen links between research and practice.

More information

15th International LCA Food Conference

12-15 October 2026 • Montréal, Canada 

The 15th International LCA Food Conference will take place in Montréal, Canada, 12-15 October 2026. The 2026 edition will bring together stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy to share the latest insights, foster collaboration, and explore solutions for more sustainable food systems worldwide. For the first time, food packaging will also be included in the topics discussed!

More information

The work of the Life Cycle Initiative would not be possible without the support of its sponsors. By contributing to the Initiative, organizations gain access to practical guidance and tools to align their operations with United Nations environmental and social development commitments. This commitment also positions them as leaders in ensuring the enabling conditions so other organisations can follow in applying Life Cycle Thinking across their processes. With the new 2022-2027 strategy of the Life Cycle Initiative, funding partners will also get significant visibility of UNEP projects in high-impact sectors such as plastics, textiles, buildings and construction, mobility, etc. and how these are supported by life-cycle approaches.

If you are interested in becoming a funding partner, please get in touch with Llorenç Milà i Canals at llorenc.milaicanals@un.org.

Note that we cannot accept contributions of a commercial nature. LCNet is released bimonthly in the beginning of January, March, May, July, September and November; please send us your piece approximately two weeks before the release date. We look forward to your contributions in disseminating life cycle knowledge from global policy and business agendas!