30th Anniversary and Network Conference 2026
We are celebrating 30 years as a center! We look forward to celebrate at this year’s Network Conference in Gothenburg, Sweden, highlighting past achievements, current developments, and inspiration for future ventures. The day will start with Network Conference and end with a celebration dinner. We hope you will join us for a full day of learning, celebration, and networking together with colleagues and partners across our network!
The conference will take place at Chalmers Conference Center, Gothenburg and the anniversary dinner will be held at Universeum.
Preliminary program
Registration at Chalmers Conference Center opens at 8.
Opening
Susan Iliefski Janols, chairperson in the Swedish Life Cycle Center board and Maria Rydberg, Director Swedish Life Cycle Center opens the conference.
Keynote
Maria Wolrath Söderberg, Associate Professor in Rhetoric at Södertörn University
We know the dire state of the climate, and we have the technology. Moreover, most people want to leave behind a better world—or at least not a worse one. Yet the transition is moving too slowly. What sustains this inertia, and what can spur us into action?
Coffee, tea and a sandwich will be served in the Volvo Foyer at Chalmers Conference Center.
What’s cooking in EU regulations
Can calculation rules in the regulations ensure both relevance, feasibility, and robustness?
EU regulations such as ESPR, the Battery Regulation, PPWR, ELV, CPR, ETS, and CBAM are driving new requirements for product carbon footprints and recycled content. Through expert presentations and interactive discussions, this session explores the trade-offs between robustness, environmental relevance, and practical feasibility in the calculation rules underpinning these regulations.
The session will have both presentation and discussions and it will be lead by Tomas Ekvall, TERRA and Björn Spak, IVL.
AI and automation in LCA
The picture of the current AI for LCA landscape – where do we stand?
Presentations and interactive discussions on the topic. We will hear from SKF, AB Volvo and Essity on how they work with automation and AI in LCA.
The session will be lead by Emilia Ingemarsdotter and Malin Johansson from Knowit together with Pietro Bartocci from RISE.
The Human Side of Sustainability Work
How do experiences, setbacks, and unexpected turns shape a sustainability career?
Sustainability work is about more than methods and metrics. In this session, four sustainability professionals share personal experiences that have shaped their careers and perspectives on sustainability. The experiences span the search for jobs with more impact, switching back and forth between industry and research, fighting for change in a controversial industry, and challenging the system from the outside.
The session will be lead by Frida Røyne, Swedish Life Cycle Center.
Life cycle thinking in the financial sector
The session will be lead by Anna Wikström, Swedish Life Cycle Center. More information will come.
Lunch will be served in the Volvo Foyer at Chalmers Conference Center.
Keynote
Göran Finnveden, Professor of Environmental Strategic Analysis at KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Sustainable consumption, sustainability assessment, and societal transformation are closely connected. A systems perspective reveals how different parts of society interact, and what changes are needed to accelerate more sustainable futures.
Transport perspective
Anders Nordelöf, Professor of Environmental Systems Analysis at the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
Textile perspective
Sandra Roos, Vice President Sustainability at KappAhl
Food system perspective
Michael Martin, Senior Researcher and Adjunct Professor at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Coffee, tea and a something sweet will be served in the Volvo Foyer at Chalmers Conference Center.
Award ceremony for Swedish Life Cycle Center Research Excellence Award
Keynote
Llorent Mila I Canals, UNEP Life Cycle Initiative will provide a global outlook on key trends, challenges, and opportunities that are likely to influence the future of life cycle thinking and practice to set the scene for the panel.
Panel on 30 years of life cycle thinking – what will happen in the future?
Closing speech, TBA
The exhibition in the Volvo Foyer will be open until 18:00, stay and mingle before the dinner.
Keynote speakers
Maria Wolrath Söderberg
Associate Professor in Rhetoric at Södertörn University
Göran Finnveden
Professor of Environmental Strategic Analysis at KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Llorent Mila I Canals
Programme Officer at UNEP Life Cycle Initiative
Sponsors
Gold sponsors
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Silver sponsors
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Our history
Join the network conference
When: November 18, 2026
Time: 08:00-18:00 (CET), followed by a celebration dinner, 19:00–late.
Where: Chalmers Conference Center, Gothenburg and dinner at Universeum
Registration
Swedish Life Cycle Center partners have a limited number of free places allocated to their organisation. Additional places are available at a discounted partner rate.
Price
Partners: 2000 SEK, Partners with dinner: 2815 SEK.
Non-partners: 2500 SEK, Non-partners with dinner: 3500 SEK.
Partners and collaboration organizations can register here:
Registration for non-partners and partners who have filled their allocated free seats:
