The Life Cycle Initiative started GLAM in 2013, in collaboration with University of Michigan, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Denmark’s Technical University (DTU), to enhance global consensus on environmental life cycle impact assessment indicators. The project aims to generate tangible and practical recommendations for different environmental indicators and characterization factors used in Life Cycle Impact Assessments (LCIA). GLAM is funded by the Life Cycle Initiative funding partners, Swiss Government, French Government, and German Government.

GLAM works with a balanced mix of participants; international experts from five topical tracks: LCIA method developers, providers of life cycle thinking studies (primarily consultants and industry associations), and users of life cycle information, including governmental and intergovernmental organizations, government, industry, NGOs, and academics. 

The different project phases provide guidance on a distinct set of indicators: 

Phase 1 [2013-2016]: Greenhouse gas emissions and climate change impacts, health impacts of fine particulate matter, water use related impacts – water scarcity and human health impacts, land use related impacts on biodiversity, cross-cutting issues. 

Phase 2 [2017-2019]: Acidification and eutrophication, human toxicity, natural resources – mineral primary resources, land use impacts on soil quality, ecotoxicity, cross-cutting issues. 

Phase 3 [2020- now]: Establishing a comprehensive, consistent, and global Environmental Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) method, including classification, midpoint and damage characterization, normalization, and weighting to assess the life cycle impacts of products and services on human health, ecosystem, and natural resources. Consult the Phase 3 Scoping Document. 

Source: Life Cycle Initiative. Global Guidance for Life Cycle Impact Assessment Indicators and Methods (GLAM)