Olivier Jolliet

What is your area of research?

I compare and quantify the life cycle risks and benefits of foods, chemicals, consumer products, and emerging technologies. This I model and screen to measure the population exposure of the different products as well as the effect on health.

Why is it so important?

It is essential to provide quantitative and data driven assessment methods to guide the transition to sustainable and healthy products and lifestyles. Our research provide the assessment and machine learning tools and databases for evaluating the environmental and health impacts of product and consumption choices and assessing whether they enables us to meet - and not exceed - planetary and health boundaries.

A project you are proud of?

I have compared the nutritional and environmental impacts of food systems, determining minutes of healthy life gained and lost for 5800 individual foods, a high impact research reported by more than 1000 news media, with a global potential reach of 1.3 billion people. I have also co-initiated the Life Cycle Initiative – hosted at the United Nations Environment Program, presently coordinating the effort of more than 150 scientists worldwide towards development of the GLAM- global impact assessment approach.

Updated June 2026

Through his participation in Policy Fellowship 2025-2026, Olivier has been working with Karin Breck, former Political Chief and Development Director at the Danish Consumer Council.