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LCA-RSIN is one of 11 Regulatory Science and Innovation Networks which together have received a total investment of £4.7 million Innovate UK funding. 

LCA-RSIN will bring together industrial leaders, academic experts, innovative small businesses, research and technology organisations, professional bodies, non-government organisations and policymakers in the UK. The network will support foundation industries and their supply chains, and aid government in developing policy to manage emissions, achieve net zero ambitions and trade across carbon borders, within global frameworks. LCA-RSIN will achieve this by bringing together stakeholders to identify challenges, improve harmonisation and develop a vision for the best use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in regulatory science as the UK moves towards net zero.

LCA is a powerful enabling tool for determining environmental impacts and assisting in the transition to a more sustainable future. A current absence of consistent approaches means decision-makers can lack the comparative information needed to act with confidence. LCA-RSIN will work towards harmonisation to ensure transparent and robust information, allowing business and policy maker actions to reduce environmental impacts whilst avoiding unintended consequences. 

Initially developed by the Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures at the º£½ÇÉçÇø of Sheffield, the Henry Royce Institute at the º£½ÇÉçÇø of Manchester and Unilever, the network grew from an idea to a membership of over 200 in under six months. During the competitive application process, Innovate UK commended the network on the level of engagement achieved and awarded funding for a further year. This funding allows the network to grow and step up engagement activities, including:

• Development of a larger leadership team, now including world-leading experts from the º£½ÇÉçÇø of Sheffield, Unilever, º£½ÇÉçÇø of Manchester, º£½ÇÉçÇø of Bath, National Composites Centre, TATA Steel UK, º£½ÇÉçÇø of Warwick, and WRAP, enabling much wider reach.
• Engagement with a range of regulators and policymakers through advisory groups and regular direct engagement, including DESNZ and DEFRA.
• Launch of working groups focusing on key areas related to the use of LCA in regulatory science. Initial focus areas will be Data, Bio-based and upcoming materials, Methodology, Practice and Accreditation, and Skills.
• Launch of Special Interest Groups bringing together practitioners and policymakers to discuss, share and engage in discussion around subject areas such as Policy and regulation, development and use of LCA tools, CBAM, social LCA, and practitioner technical forums and industrial groups.

LCA-RSIN will build on the largest LCA gathering held in the UK last year by holding its first 2-day annual conference. This will be one of a wide range of in-person and online events held within Working Groups, Special Interest Groups, and by the network as a whole to continue to build a UK LCA regulatory science community.

A launch event in January was attended by government, academia, a wide spectrum of industry, NGOs, and other experts. The network is growing daily and is active on  with a website currently in development. Working Groups have begun meeting, and applications for Special Interest Group membership remain open .