Prospective LCA to support the agri-food sector’s transition towards sustainability—89th LCA discussion forum conference report

Abstract Purpose The 89th Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Discussion Forum (DF) on the use of prospective LCA (pLCA) to support sustainability transitions of the agri-food sector was held on the 4th of February 2025 in Zurich. Methods This paper summarizes the main discussion points and challenges identified during the 89th LCA DF related to pLCA in the agri-food sector. Results The presentations highlighted recent progress in inventory and impact modelling and featured case studies related to the technology- and system-wide application of pLCA to the agri-food sector. The Q&A sessions and panel discussion highlighted challenges related to pLCA in the agri-food sector and in general. These challenges relate to missing data, the complexity of pLCA and its associated uncertainties, as well as ensuring the usefulness of the conducted evaluations. Possible solutions relate to streamlining the communication of results, adapting them to the needs of different stakeholder groups, or exploring scenarios to showcase a range of possible futures. Additionally, more frequent collaboration with other research fields could help reduce uncertainty and improve data availability. Conclusions While the challenges faced in the pLCA of agri-food systems are similar to those in other sectors, the lack of data on future developments and uncertainties is more pronounced. This is largely due to the dynamic character of these systems and their sensitivity to environmental conditions .