Call for papers 

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has emerged as a significant methodology for assessing environmental impacts across various sectors. In the context of CO₂ reduction and the pursuit of net-zero emissions, LCA offers a critical systems-based framework for assessing the true sustainability of emerging technologies, particularly those related to Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS). With increasing pressure on nations to meet the global CO₂ reduction targets, there is scope to explore the integration of LCA methodologies with net-zero technologies to facilitate innovation in this area and progress toward genuinely sustainable policy outcomes.

This themed collection aims to collate research and innovation in the application of LCA methodologies to CCUS and other net-zero technologies, to exemplify the practical benefits of this systemic approach to achieving CO₂ reduction targets and inform decisions that balance economic feasibility, energy efficiency, and environmental integrity.

We welcome contributions of research, reviews, rapid communications, perspectives and case studies that advance the integration of LCA into the design, evaluation, and optimization of technologies aimed at achieving net-zero emissions. We particularly encourage studies that demonstrate methodological innovations, cross-sectoral applications, that exemplify the co-evolution of LCA and CO₂ mitigation technologies. The range of topics covered by this themed collection includes, but is not limited to:

• LCA frameworks for net-zero strategy evaluation
• LCA-informed carbon accounting methodologies
• CO₂ capture methods
• CO₂ conversion processes
• Carbon mineralization
• Biorefinery or biomass-based processes
• Industrial decarbonization
• Waste management, recycling and circular economy

Submissions for this themed collection should explicitly articulate the principles and methodologies of LCA, in addition to providing substantive results derived from the research conducted or specific applications in policy or practice. Aside from life cycle CO₂ emissions, discussion focused on the alternative impacts, other than carbon emissions, are highly encouraged.

Submission deadline: 17 November 2025

Lead Editor

Bor-Yih Yu, National Taiwan University, Taiwan, Editorial Board Member of Cambridge Prisms: Carbon Technologies 

Guest Editors

Seongmin Heo, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), South Korea

Koki Yagihara, Tohoku University, Japan

Tsai-Wei Wu, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan