Overview
Life Cycle Initiative is a public-private, multi-stakeholder partnership hosted by UN Environment (UNEP) that enables global use of credible life-cycle knowledge by public and private decision makers. It operates as a bridge between life-cycle practitioners, policy makers and industry.
Focus and goals
The core objective is to advance life cycle thinking and assessment (LCA) by building consensus around methods, expanding data access, and strengthening capacity among users. It emphasises sectors with high environmental and social impacts—such as plastics, textiles, buildings & construction, tourism and mining—to uncover trade-offs and support sustainable production and consumption. The Initiative aims to integrate life-cycle perspectives into policy, corporate strategy and sustainable development agendas aligned with Agenda 2030.
Structure and governance
Membership is open to institutional actors (governments, firms, civil society and academia) and individuals in science/civil society domains. Member institutions elect representatives to a Steering Committee, which formulates strategy, approves programmes and allocates resources. Programmes are led by co-chairs and overseen by ad hoc committees. Secretariat functions are hosted within UNEP, managing day-to-day coordination, stakeholder engagement and communication.
Tools, data and services
Life Cycle Initiative offers a rich “Library” of reports, case studies, guidelines and training materials, including methods in social LCA, hotspot analysis and guidance on life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) indicators. It maintains the Global LCA Data network (GLAD), a roadmap for database development, and an LCA Database Helpdesk to support practitioners. The SCP Hotspots Analysis Tool (SCP-HAT) identifies national priority areas for unsustainable production and consumption, aiding policy formulation.
Relation to sustainable finance
Life Cycle Initiative’s data, methodologies and consensus guidance help embed life cycle metrics into ESG (environmental, social, governance) frameworks and sustainable investment decisions. By quantifying upstream and downstream impacts, it strengthens the environmental evidence base for investors, companies and regulators to incorporate life cycle considerations into financial and policy instruments.
In sum, Life Cycle Initiative provides a globally coordinated platform combining technical expertise, data infrastructure, capacity building, and consensus processes. It enables decision makers to apply life cycle approaches in policy, corporate action and sustainable finance.
Mission
The Life Cycle Initiative is a public-private, multi-stakeholder partnership promoting progress towards the achievement of Agenda 2030 through (1) advancing the understanding, adoption and application of life cycle thinking by private and public decision makers; and (2) building consensus on and facilitating the access to environmental, social and economic life cycle knowledge (LCA data, methods, indicators, etc.).
