1
|
Ma Q, Yuan R, Wang S, Sun Y, Zhang Q, Yuan X, Wang Q, Luo C. Indigenized Characterization Factors for Health Damage Due to Ambient PM 2.5 in Life Cycle Impact Assessment in China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:17320-17333. [PMID: 39298624 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c08122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a broadly used method for quantifying environmental impacts, and life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) is an important step as well as a major source of uncertainties in LCA. Characterization factors (CFs) are pivotal elements in LCIA models. In China, the health loss due to ambient PM2.5 is an important aspect of LCIA results, which, however, is generally assessed by adopting CFs developed by global models and there remains a need to integrate localized considerations and the latest information for more precise applications in China. In this study, we developed indigenized CFs for LCIA of health damage due to ambient PM2.5 in China by coupling the atmospheric chemical transport model GEOS-Chem, exposure-response model GEMM containing Chinese cohort studies, and the latest local data. Results show that CFs of four major PM2.5 precursors all exhibit significant interregional variation and monthly differences in China. Our results were generally an order of magnitude higher and show disparate spatial distribution compared to CFs currently in use, suggesting that the health damage due to ambient PM2.5 was underestimated in LCIA in China, and indigenized CFs need to be adopted for more accurate results in LCIA and LCA studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiao Ma
- National Engineering Laboratory for Reducing Emissions from Coal Combustion, Engineering Research Center of Environmental Thermal Technology of Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Carbon Reduction and Resource Utilization, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
- Sustainable Development Research Center, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
| | - Renxiao Yuan
- National Engineering Laboratory for Reducing Emissions from Coal Combustion, Engineering Research Center of Environmental Thermal Technology of Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Carbon Reduction and Resource Utilization, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
- Sustainable Development Research Center, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
| | - Shan Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Reducing Emissions from Coal Combustion, Engineering Research Center of Environmental Thermal Technology of Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Carbon Reduction and Resource Utilization, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
- Sustainable Development Research Center, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
| | - Yuchen Sun
- National Engineering Laboratory for Reducing Emissions from Coal Combustion, Engineering Research Center of Environmental Thermal Technology of Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Carbon Reduction and Resource Utilization, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
- Sustainable Development Research Center, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- National Satellite Meteorological Center, Beijing 100089, China
| | - Xueliang Yuan
- National Engineering Laboratory for Reducing Emissions from Coal Combustion, Engineering Research Center of Environmental Thermal Technology of Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Carbon Reduction and Resource Utilization, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
- Sustainable Development Research Center, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
| | - Qingsong Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Reducing Emissions from Coal Combustion, Engineering Research Center of Environmental Thermal Technology of Ministry of Education, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Carbon Reduction and Resource Utilization, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
- Sustainable Development Research Center, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
| | - Congwei Luo
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Brown CJM, Noble BF, Munkittrick KR. Examination of recent hydroelectric dam projects in Canada for alignment of baseline studies, predictive modeling, and postdevelopment monitoring phases of aquatic environmental impact assessments. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2024; 20:616-644. [PMID: 37526129 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been widely criticized by the aquatic science community for poorly aligned approaches when selecting endpoints and collecting data during the baseline, predictive modeling, and postdevelopment monitoring phases. If these critical phases of the EIA process are not aligned properly, it can be difficult to evaluate the presence of postdevelopment effects. Examples of the misalignment of these phases include baseline studies failing to measure indicators that are monitored postdevelopment; predictive assessments that do not quantitatively predict conditions or potential impacts postdevelopment; and the failure to identify relevant indicators that may detect effects postdevelopment. For aquatic assessments, understanding how to protect critical ecosystem attributes to satisfy regulatory concerns could help to better align aquatic science monitoring activities across EIA phases. In this article we investigate recent Canadian hydroelectric dam EIAs to evaluate how well recent assessment approaches are meeting these necessary conditions of good aquatic EIA practice through the lens of ecosystem services from a fish's perspective. We found that larger facilities generally had baseline studies and modeling that better supported postdevelopment monitoring, but improvements in structure, linkages, and expectations would better align EIA phases in a manner that would improve assessments and environmental protection. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:616-644. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn J M Brown
- Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Rivers Institute, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Bram F Noble
- Department of Geography and Planning, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Kelly R Munkittrick
- Canadian Rivers Institute, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li T, Cui L, Xu Z, Liu H, Cui X, Fantke P. Micro- and nanoplastics in soil: Linking sources to damage on soil ecosystem services in life cycle assessment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166925. [PMID: 37689210 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Soil ecosystems are crucial for providing vital ecosystem services (ES), and are increasingly pressured by the intensification and expansion of human activities, leading to potentially harmful consequences for their related ES provision. Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs), associated with releases from various human activities, have become prevalent in various soil ecosystems and pose a global threat. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a tool for evaluating environmental performance of product and technology life cycles, has yet to adequately include MNPs-related damage to soil ES, owing to factors like uncertainties in MNPs environmental fate and ecotoxicological effects, and characterizing related damage on soil species loss, functional diversity, and ES. This study aims to address this gap by providing as a first step an overview of the current understanding of MNPs in soil ecosystems and proposing a conceptual approach to link MNPs impacts to soil ES damage. We find that MNPs pervade soil ecosystems worldwide, introduced through various pathways, including wastewater discharge, urban runoff, atmospheric deposition, and degradation of larger plastic debris. MNPs can inflict a range of ecotoxicity effects on soil species, including physical harm, chemical toxicity, and pollutants bioaccumulation. Methods to translate these impacts into damage on ES are under development and typically focus on discrete, yet not fully integrated aspects along the impact-to-damage pathway. We propose a conceptual framework for linking different MNPs effects on soil organisms to damage on soil species loss, functional diversity loss and loss of ES, and elaborate on each link. Proposed underlying approaches include the Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis (TITAN) for translating ecotoxicological effects associated with MNPs into quantitative measures of soil species diversity damage; trait-based approaches for linking soil species loss to functional diversity loss; and ecological networks and Bayesian Belief Networks for linking functional diversity loss to soil ES damage. With the proposed conceptual framework, our study constitutes a starting point for including the characterization of MNPs-related damage on soil ES in LCA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tong Li
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark; School of Environment and Science, Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Lizhen Cui
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhihong Xu
- School of Environment and Science, Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Hongdou Liu
- School of Environment and Science, Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, QLD 4111, Australia.
| | - Xiaoyong Cui
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Peter Fantke
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Su S, Ju J, Ding Y, Yuan J, Cui P. A Comprehensive Dynamic Life Cycle Assessment Model: Considering Temporally and Spatially Dependent Variations. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14000. [PMID: 36360878 PMCID: PMC9657249 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a widely-used international environmental evaluation and management method. However, the conventional LCA is in a static context without temporal and spatial variations considered, which fails to bring accurate evaluation values and hinders practical applications. Dynamic LCA research has developed vigorously in the past decade and become a hot topic. However, systematical analysis of spatiotemporal dynamic variations and comprehensive operable dynamic models are still lacking. This study follows LCA paradigm and incorporates time- and space-dependent variations to establish a spatiotemporal dynamic LCA model. The dynamic changes are classified into four types: dynamic foreground elementary flows, dynamic background system, dynamic characterization factors, and dynamic weighting factors. Their potential dynamics and possible quantification methods are analyzed. The dynamic LCA model is applied to a residential building, and significant differences can be observed between dynamic and static assessment results from both temporal and spatial perspectives. This study makes a theoretical contribution by establishing a comprehensive dynamic model with both temporal and spatial variations involved. It is expected to provide practical values for LCA practitioners and help with decision-making and environmental management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shu Su
- Department of Construction and Real Estate, School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Jingyi Ju
- Department of Construction and Real Estate, School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Yujie Ding
- Department of Construction and Real Estate, School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Jingfeng Yuan
- Department of Construction and Real Estate, School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Peng Cui
- Department of Engineering Management, School of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Elliot T, Goldstein B, Gómez-Baggethun E, Proença V, Rugani B. Ecosystem service deficits of European cities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 837:155875. [PMID: 35568177 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and biodiversity loss are two pressing global environmental challenges that are tightly coupled to urban processes. Cities emit greenhouse gases through the consumption of materials and energy. Urban expansion encroaches on local habitats, while urban land teleconnections simultaneously degrade distant ecosystems. These processes decrease the supply of and increase the demand for ecosystem services inside and outside urban areas. Most cities are in a state of ecosystem services deficit, whereby demand exceeds local supply of ecosystem services. Methods to quantify this deficit by capturing multi-scale and multi-level ecological exchanges are incipient, leaving scholars with a partial understanding of the environmental impacts of cities. This paper deploys a novel method to simulate future urban supplies and demands of two key ecosystem services needed to combat climate change and biodiversity loss - global climate regulation and global habitat maintenance. Applying our model to eight representative European cities, we project growing ecosystems deficits (demand exceeds supply) between 8% and 214% in global climate regulation and 11% and 431% in global habitat maintenance between 2020 and 2050. Variation between cities stems from differing dietary patterns and electricity mixes, which have large implications for ecosystems outside the city. To combat these losses, urban sustainability strategies should complement local restoration with changes to local consumption alongside promoting remote ecological restoration to tackle the multi-level environmental impacts of cities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Elliot
- Department of Construction Engineering, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), 1100 Notre-Dame Ouest, Montréal, Canada; MARETEC/LARSyS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Benjamin Goldstein
- Department of Bioresource Engineering, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Canada
| | - Erik Gómez-Baggethun
- Department of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric), Faculty of Landscape and Society, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), PO Box 5003, Ås, Norway; Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Sognsveien 68, 0855 Oslo, Norway
| | - Vânia Proença
- MARETEC/LARSyS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Benedetto Rugani
- Environmental Sustainability Assessment and Circularity, Environmental Research & Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 41 Rue du Brill, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Fan J, Liu C, Xie J, Han L, Zhang C, Guo D, Niu J, Jin H, McConkey BG. Life Cycle Assessment on Agricultural Production: A Mini Review on Methodology, Application, and Challenges. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:9817. [PMID: 36011455 PMCID: PMC9408002 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19169817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Agricultural Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is an effective tool for the quantitative evaluation and analysis of agricultural materials production and operation activities in various stages of the agricultural system. Based on the concept of life cycle, it comprehensively summarizes the impact of agriculture on the environment, which is an effective tool to promote the sustainability and green development of agriculture. In recent years, agricultural LCA has been widely used in the agroecosystem for resource and environmental impacts analysis. However, some challenges still exist in agricultural LCA, i.e., the environmental impact assessment index system needs to be improved; its application in different production mode is limited; and combination research with other models needs more attention. This paper discusses the above-mentioned challenges and recommends research priorities for both scientific development and improvements in practical implementation. In summary, further research is needed to construct a regional heterogeneity database and develop innovated methodologies to develop more meaningful functional units for agricultural products to complement LCA by other models. These efforts will make agricultural LCA more robust and effective in environmental impacts assessment to support decision making from individual farm to regional or (inter)national for the sustainable future of agriculture.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianling Fan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, 219 Ningliu Road, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Cuiying Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Agricultural Meteorology, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, 219 Ningliu Road, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Jianan Xie
- Reading Academy, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, 219 Ningliu Road, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Lu Han
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, 219 Ningliu Road, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Chuanhong Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, 219 Ningliu Road, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Dengwei Guo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, 219 Ningliu Road, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Junzhao Niu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, 219 Ningliu Road, Nanjing 210044, China
| | - Hao Jin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, 219 Ningliu Road, Nanjing 210044, China
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Parra-Paitan C, Verburg PH. Accounting for land use changes beyond the farm-level in sustainability assessments: The impact of cocoa production. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 825:154032. [PMID: 35202678 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Impact assessments are used to raise evidence and guide the implementation of sustainability strategies in commodity value chains. Due to methodological and data difficulties, most assessments of agricultural commodities capture the impacts occurring at the farm-level but often dismiss or oversimplify the impacts caused by land use dynamics at larger geographic scale. In this study we analyzed the impacts of two cocoa production systems, full-sun and agroforestry, at the farm-level and beyond the farm-level. We used life cycle assessment to calculate the impacts at the farm-level and a combination of land use modelling with spatial analysis to calculate the impacts beyond the farm-level. We applied this to three different future cocoa production scenarios. The impacts at the farm-level showed that, due to lower yields, cocoa agroforestry performs worse than cocoa full-sun for most impact indicators. However, the impacts beyond the farm-level showed that promoting cocoa agroforestry in the landscape can bring the largest gains in carbon and biodiversity. A scenario analysis of the impacts at the landscape-level showed large nuances depending on the cocoa farming system adopted, market dynamics, and nature conservation policies. The analysis indicated that increasing cocoa demand does not necessarily result in negative impacts for carbon stocks and biodiversity, if sustainable land management and sustainable intensification are adopted. Landscape-level impacts can be larger than farm-level impacts or show completely opposite direction, which highlights the need to complement farm-level assessments with assessments accounting for land use dynamics beyond the farm-level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Parra-Paitan
- Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), De Boelelaan 1111, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Peter H Verburg
- Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), De Boelelaan 1111, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111,CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Integrating Land Use, Ecosystem Service, and Human Well-Being: A Systematic Review. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14116926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Global change, population growth, and urbanization have been exerting a severe influence on the environment, including the social system and ecosystem. To find solutions based on nature, clarifying the complicated mechanisms and feedback among land use/land cover changes, ecosystem services, and human well-being, is increasingly crucial. However, the in-depth linkages among these three elements have not been clearly and systematically illustrated, present research paths have not been summarized well, and the future research trends on this topic have not been reasonably discussed. In this sense, the purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into how land use/land cover changes, ecosystem services, and human well-being are linked, as well as their relationships, interacting ways, applications in solving ecological and socioeconomic problems, and to reveal their future research trends. Here, we use a systematic literature review of the peer-reviewed literature to conclude the state of the art and the progress, emphasize the hotspot, and reveal the future trend of the nexus among the three aspects. Results show that (1) ecosystem services are generally altered by the changes in land use type, spatial pattern, and intensity; (2) the nexus among land use change, ecosystem services, and human well-being is usually used for supporting poverty alleviation, ecosystem health, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development; (3) future research on land use/land cover changes, ecosystem services, and human well-being should mainly focus on strengthening multiscale correlation, driving force analysis, the correlation among different group characteristics, land use types and ecosystem service preferences, and the impact of climate change on ecosystem services and human well-being. This study provides an enhanced understanding of the nexus among the three aspects and a reference for future studies to mitigate the relevant problems.
Collapse
|
9
|
Zhang X, Jin X, Liang X, Ren J, Han B, Liu J, Fan Y, Zhou Y. Implications of land sparing and sharing for maintaining regional ecosystem services: An empirical study from a suitable area for agricultural production in China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 820:153330. [PMID: 35074364 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The clarification of land use management in areas of potential land use conflict plays an important role in maintaining ecosystem services. However, the relationship between land use strategies and ecosystem services in potential conflict zones remains uncertain, lacking quantitative evidence. Therefore, to construct a healthy territorial space system, a spatial classification model for land use was built based on land sparing and sharing. In addition, the inherent characteristics of different modes in the landscape structure and functional heterogeneity were also resolved. Then, an empirical analysis was carried out with the coastal agricultural production area of Maoming City, Guangdong Province. Focusing on the potential area of land use conflicts in Maoming City, that is, the suitable area for agricultural production, this study determined the differences in ecosystem services under multiple land use patterns at the pixel level, explored the trade-offs of ecosystem services in the entire suitable area and a single model, and examined the gradient effect of ecosystem services with the intensity of cultivated land use. According to the results, ecosystem services significantly differed in land use patterns, and the comprehensive ecosystem service was the highest in the land sharing model. Ecosystem services exert a synergistic effect in the entire suitable area for agricultural production, whereas there exists no correlation within a single model. When the arable land area of intensive agriculture exceeds 84.84%, food supply and other ecosystem services will be reduced to varying degrees. The study bridges the gap in research on the relationship between land sparing and sharing and ecosystem services in Chinese regions, and proposes clear land remediation strategies in potential conflict zones, which can thus provide some guidance for achieving sustainable regional development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Zhang
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Exploitation and Protection, Ministry of Natural Resources, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xiaobin Jin
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Exploitation and Protection, Ministry of Natural Resources, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Land Development and Consolidation Technology Engineering Center, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Xinyuan Liang
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Exploitation and Protection, Ministry of Natural Resources, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jie Ren
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541000, China
| | - Bo Han
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Exploitation and Protection, Ministry of Natural Resources, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jingping Liu
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Exploitation and Protection, Ministry of Natural Resources, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yeting Fan
- School of Public Administration, Nanjing University of Finance & Economics, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yinkang Zhou
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Exploitation and Protection, Ministry of Natural Resources, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Land Development and Consolidation Technology Engineering Center, Nanjing 210023, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Life Cycle Assessment Applied to Nature-Based Solutions: Learnings, Methodological Challenges, and Perspectives from a Critical Analysis of the Literature. LAND 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/land11050649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The use of life cycle assessment (LCA) allows work to go beyond the traditional scope of urban nature-based solutions (NBS), in which ecosystem services are provided to citizens, to include environmental impacts generated over the entire life cycle of the NBS, i.e., from raw material extraction, through materials processing, production, distribution, and use stages, to end-of-life management. In this work, we explored how LCA has been applied in the context of NBS through a critical analysis of the literature. Systems under review were not restricted to one typology of NBS or another, but were meant to cover a broad range of NBS, from NBS on the ground, water-related NBS, building NBS, to NBS strategies. In total, 130 LCA studies of NBS were analysed according to several criteria derived from the LCA methodology or from specific challenges associated with NBS. Results show that studies were based on different scopes, resulting in the selection of different functional units and system boundaries. Accordingly, we propose an innovative approach based on the ecosystem services (ES) concept to classify and quantify these functional units. We also identify and discuss two recent and promising approaches to solve multifunctionality that could be adapted for LCA of NBS.
Collapse
|
11
|
De Luca Peña LV, Taelman SE, Préat N, Boone L, Van der Biest K, Custódio M, Hernandez Lucas S, Everaert G, Dewulf J. Towards a comprehensive sustainability methodology to assess anthropogenic impacts on ecosystems: Review of the integration of Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental Risk Assessment and Ecosystem Services Assessment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 808:152125. [PMID: 34871681 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, a variety of methodologies are available to assess local, regional and global impacts of human activities on ecosystems, which include Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) and Ecosystem Services Assessment (ESA). However, none can individually assess both the positive and negative impacts of human activities at different geographical scales in a comprehensive manner. In order to overcome the shortcomings of each methodology and develop more holistic assessments, the integration of these methodologies is essential. Several studies have attempted to integrate these methodologies either conceptually or through applied case studies. To understand why, how and to what extent these methodologies have been integrated, a total of 110 relevant publications were reviewed. The analysis of the case studies showed that the integration can occur at different positions along the cause-effect chain and from this, a classification scheme was proposed to characterize the different integration approaches. Three categories of integration are distinguished: post-analysis, integration through the combination of results, and integration through the complementation of a driving method. The literature review highlights that the most recurrent type of integration is the latter. While the integration through the complementation of a driving method is more realistic and accurate compared to the other two categories, its development is more complex and a higher data requirement could be needed. In addition to this, there is always the risk of double-counting for all the approaches. None of the integration approaches can be categorized as a full integration, but this is not necessarily needed to have a comprehensive assessment. The most essential aspect is to select the appropriate components from each methodology that can cover both the environmental and socioeconomic costs and benefits of human activities on the ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Vittoria De Luca Peña
- Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
| | - Sue Ellen Taelman
- Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Nils Préat
- Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Lieselot Boone
- Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Katrien Van der Biest
- Ecosystem Management Research Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Marco Custódio
- Flanders Marine Institute, Wandelaarkaai 7, B8400 Ostend, Belgium
| | - Simon Hernandez Lucas
- Ghent University, Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, 9000, Ghent, Belgium; Ghent University, BLUEGent Business Development Center in Aquaculture and Blue Life Sciences, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Gert Everaert
- Flanders Marine Institute, Wandelaarkaai 7, B8400 Ostend, Belgium
| | - Jo Dewulf
- Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Wang J, Huang K, Liu H, Yu Y. The ecological boundary gap is gradually tightening in China's megacities: Taking Beijing as a case. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:151484. [PMID: 34742807 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Planetary boundaries define the safe operating space of human beings relative to the Earth's system, which is of great significance in helping human beings predict environmental safety limits. However, ecological boundaries have not been presented or downscaled to regional levels. Moreover, a method has not been developed to quantitatively measure the gap between the value of the services provided by the ecosystem and the size of the urban population and economy that the ecosystem can carry. Herein, we propose the concept and calculation model of the "ecological boundary" to quantitatively assess the ecosystem security gap size transgressed by humans. Ecological boundaries are defined as the maximum population and economic scale that a certain area can support under a certain ecologically productive area. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the ecological boundary in megacities, and Beijing is considered as a specific case. The results show that the consumption of natural resources has transgressed its ecological boundary in Beijing. The direct consequence is that the ecological well-being per capita continues to decrease. Fortunately, with decreases in the ecological footprint and land use/land cover change dynamic degree, the ecological boundary gap is gradually tightening. Moreover, the role of ecological boundaries as early warning signals of undesirable urban ecological environmental changes is discussed, the significance of the monetization of ecological boundaries is described, the factors underlying the ecological boundary gap in the process of accelerating urbanization in China are analyzed, and policy recommendations for resolving the threat to ecological security boundaries by megacities are presented. The primary purpose of our study is provide policymakers with information on the gap between the current well-being of humankind and critical capacity thresholds, which can help determine whether human activities have fallen into an unsustainable state that may result in undesirable eco-environmental changes that could have detrimental or even disastrous consequences for the population of a region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianyu Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Kai Huang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Hui Liu
- School of Government, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yajuan Yu
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Sevigné-Itoiz E, Mwabonje O, Panoutsou C, Woods J. Life cycle assessment (LCA): informing the development of a sustainable circular bioeconomy? PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2021; 379:20200352. [PMID: 34334023 PMCID: PMC8326828 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2020.0352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The role of life cycle assessment (LCA) in informing the development of a sustainable and circular bioeconomy is discussed. We analyse the critical challenges remaining in using LCA and propose improvements needed to resolve future development challenges. Biobased systems are often complex combinations of technologies and practices that are geographically dispersed over long distances and with heterogeneous and uncertain sets of indicators and impacts. Recent studies have provided methodological suggestions on how LCA can be improved for evaluating the sustainability of biobased systems with a new focus on emerging systems, helping to identify environmental and social opportunities prior to large R&D investments. However, accessing economies of scale and improved conversion efficiencies while maintaining compatibility across broad ranges of sustainability indicators and public acceptability remain key challenges for the bioeconomy. LCA can inform, but not by itself resolve this complex dimension of sustainability. Future policy interventions that aim to promote the bioeconomy and support strategic value chains will benefit from the systematic use of LCA. However, the LCA community needs to develop the mechanisms and tools needed to generate agreement and coordinate the standards and incentives that will underpin a successful biobased transition. Systematic stakeholder engagement and the use of multidisciplinary analysis in combination with LCA are essential components of emergent LCA methods. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bio-derived and bioinspired sustainable advanced materials for emerging technologies (part 1)'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva Sevigné-Itoiz
- Centre for Environmental Policy (CEP), Imperial College London, (ICL), 18-19 Princess Garden, South Kensington, London SW7 1NE, UK
| | - Onesmus Mwabonje
- Centre for Environmental Policy (CEP), Imperial College London, (ICL), 18-19 Princess Garden, South Kensington, London SW7 1NE, UK
| | - Calliope Panoutsou
- Centre for Environmental Policy (CEP), Imperial College London, (ICL), 18-19 Princess Garden, South Kensington, London SW7 1NE, UK
| | - Jeremy Woods
- Centre for Environmental Policy (CEP), Imperial College London, (ICL), 18-19 Princess Garden, South Kensington, London SW7 1NE, UK
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Chen HP, Lee M, Chiueh PT. Creating ecosystem services assessment models incorporating land use impacts based on soil quality. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 773:145018. [PMID: 33940710 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a widely applied approach used to evaluate the environmental impacts of a product or service across its life cycle stages; however, the impacts of land use on ecosystem services are less addressed in most LCA studies. This study, therefore, aims to improve the LCA model by incorporating a new impact category of land use on ecosystem services at both midpoint and endpoint levels in the existing ReCiPe2016 impact assessment method. The impacts of land use in the LCA model included land occupation and land transformation. The soil quality-based indicator, soil organic carbon (SOC), was adopted to quantify the soil quality change in ecosystem services caused by land use. A site with contaminated soils was adopted to validate the proposed impact assessment approach and to compare the results of various remediation practices. Our results revealed that the characterization factors (CFs) varied with the type of land use intervention, with land occupation of settlements presenting the highest CFs and land occupation of forest presenting the most negative CFs and thus benefitting ecosystem services. These results were well reflected in the case study, while the type of land intervention was the key factor determining the impact level. The results suggested that long-term occupation, high contamination levels, and high material or energy use contributed to relatively higher impacts of land use on ecosystem services. The proposed approach enables the quantification of land use impacts on ecosystem services as expressed in monetary loss or benefit at the endpoint resource level. The impact assessment results indicated that the in situ bioremediation scenario contributed relatively higher impacts ($12,667 USD) than the excavation and thermal treatment scenario ($-37 USD). These monetary assessment results are informative and are expected to be used in the decision-making process towards achieving beneficial environmental outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Pei Chen
- Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, 71, Chou-Shan Rd., Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Mengshan Lee
- Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, 1, University Rd., Yanchao Dist., Kaohsiung City 824, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Te Chiueh
- Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, 71, Chou-Shan Rd., Taipei 106, Taiwan; Water Innovation, Low Carbon and Environmental Sustainability Research Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Briones-Hidrovo A, Uche J, Martínez-Gracia A. Determining the net environmental performance of hydropower: A new methodological approach by combining life cycle and ecosystem services assessment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 712:136369. [PMID: 31931209 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In the face of climate-ecological breakdown, it is well known that the world aims at developing renewable energies in order to replace fossil fuels. However, there is a great concern regarding their environmental-ecological issues specially with those ones that have a deep interplay with its immediate environment such the case of hydropower. Despite efforts, the existing environmental-ecological methodologies and approaches are incapable to encompass the wide impacts of hydropower. To bridge this knowledge gap, the goal of this paper is twofold: first, to propose a methodological approach that combines and balances two well-known environmental-ecological assessments: life cycle (LCA) and ecosystem services assessment (ESA). This way, the proposal enables a deeper look into the environmental-ecological performance. Second, to determine the total environmental-ecological accounting and hence the net environmental performance of hydropower. In order to expose the applicability of the proposed methodological approach, case studies of a dam and run-of-river hydropower plant located in Ecuador were examined. Analysis found a net environmental performance (NEP) of -0.98 $/kWh and -0.08 $/kWh, respectively. These results clearly indicate a marked environmental-ecological difference between these two hydropower schemes, awareness of which may be helpful for further decision-making and developing new energy policies in pursuit of sustainable development goals. What is more, this methodological approach may be applied and extended not only to other renewable energy technologies, but also to any other project or activity where the exploitation and use of natural resources are involved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Briones-Hidrovo
- CIRCE Research Institute, University of Zaragoza, Maria de Luna s/n, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - Javier Uche
- CIRCE Research Institute, University of Zaragoza, Maria de Luna s/n, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Amaya Martínez-Gracia
- CIRCE Research Institute, University of Zaragoza, Maria de Luna s/n, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
D'Amato D, Gaio M, Semenzin E. A review of LCA assessments of forest-based bioeconomy products and processes under an ecosystem services perspective. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 706:135859. [PMID: 31841854 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of politically driven bioeconomy strategies worldwide calls for considering the ecological issues associated with bio-based products. Traditionally, life cycle analysis (LCA) approaches are key tools used to assess impacts through product life cycles, but they present limitations regarding the accounting of multiple ecosystem service-related issues, at both the land-use and supply chain levels. Based on a systematic review of empirical articles, this study provides insights on using LCA assessments to account for ecosystem service-related impacts in the context of bioeconomy activities. We address the following research questions: what is the state of the art of the literature performing LCA assessments of forest-based bioeconomy activities, including the temporal distribution, the geographic areas and products/processes at study, and the approaches and methods used? 2. Which impacts and related midpoints are considered by the reviewed studies and what types of ecosystem service- related information do they bear? Out of over 600 articles found through the Scopus search, 155 were deemed relevant for the review. The literature focuses on North-America and Europe. Most of the articles assessed the environmental impact of lower-value biomass uses. Climate change was assessed in over 90% of the studies, while issues related to ozone, eutrophication, human toxicity, resource depletion, acidification, and environmental toxicity were assessed in 40% to 60% of the studies. While the impact categories accounted for in the reviewed LCA studies bear information relevant to certain provisioning and regulating services, several ecosystem services (especially cultural ones) remain unaccounted for. The implications of our study are relevant for professionals working in the ecosystem services, circular bioeconomy, and/or LCA communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D D'Amato
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science - Department of Forest Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Latokartanonkaari 7, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - M Gaio
- Dept. Environmental Science, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, via Torino 155, 30172 Mestre-Venezia, Italy
| | - E Semenzin
- Dept. Environmental Science, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, via Torino 155, 30172 Mestre-Venezia, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Spatial-temporal risk assessment of urbanization impacts on ecosystem services based on pressure-status - response framework. Sci Rep 2019; 9:16806. [PMID: 31728060 PMCID: PMC6856169 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52719-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid urbanization is a global phenomenon that has altered many ecosystems, generating ecological risks such as causing a decline in many ecosystem services. In this study, ecosystem service oriented risk assessment combined with PSR were quantifying how urbanization influences the ecosystem services about Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration of China between 2000 year and 2010 year. The mean value of ecosystem services in three gradient (rural areas, suburban, and urban area) declined from 4.12 Yuan/m2 to 1.75 Yuan/m2 in 2000 year, while the mean value in 2010 year showed significant decrease and also represented urban-rural gradient. The average of pressure in PSR framework increased from 0.145 to 0.162 between two periods, while the average of status decrease from 0.378 to 0.311, and the status value decrease from 0.096 to 0.087. The higher risk degree V increased 6.95% between two periods, while the lower risk degree I decrease 6.89%. Two main types including high value gathering field and low value gathering field existed between two periods, the higher gathering field owned the ratio of 9.85%, mainly distributed around the urban area of Beijing and Tianjin, while the lower gathering field possess the ratio of 10.69%, mainly distributed in the northern and western in region. Overall, the analytical framework proposed in this study can provide comprehensive information to evaluate the impacts of complex practice in land-use planning and region ecosystem management.
Collapse
|
18
|
Rugani B, Maia de Souza D, Weidema BP, Bare J, Bakshi B, Grann B, Johnston JM, Pavan ALR, Liu X, Laurent A, Verones F. Towards integrating the ecosystem services cascade framework within the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) cause-effect methodology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 690:1284-1298. [PMID: 31470491 PMCID: PMC7791572 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The assessment of ecosystem services (ES) is covered in a fragmented manner by environmental decision support tools that provide information about the potential environmental impacts of supply chains and their products, such as the well-known Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. Within the flagship project of the Life Cycle Initiative (hosted by UN Environment), aiming at global guidance for life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) indicators, a dedicated subtask force was constituted to consolidate the evaluation of ES in LCA. As one of the outcomes of this subtask force, this paper describes the progress towards consensus building in the LCA domain concerning the assessment of anthropogenic impacts on ecosystems and their associated services for human well-being. To this end, the traditional LCIA structure, which represents the cause-effect chain from stressor to impacts and damages, is re-casted and expanded using the lens of the ES 'cascade model'. This links changes in ecosystem structure and function to changes in human well-being, while LCIA links the effect of changes on ecosystems due to human impacts (e.g. land use change, eutrophication, freshwater depletion) to the increase or decrease in the quality and/or quantity of supplied ES. The proposed cascade modelling framework complements traditional LCIA with information about the externalities associated with the supply and demand of ES, for which the overall cost-benefit result might be either negative (i.e. detrimental impact on the ES provision) or positive (i.e. increase of ES provision). In so doing, the framework introduces into traditional LCIA the notion of "benefit" (in the form of ES supply flows and ecosystems' capacity to generate services) which balances the quantified environmental intervention flows and related impacts (in the form of ES demands) that are typically considered in LCA. Recommendations are eventually provided to further address current gaps in the analysis of ES within the LCA methodology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benedetto Rugani
- Environmental Research & Innovation (ERIN) department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Belvaux, Luxembourg.
| | - Danielle Maia de Souza
- Département de stratégie, responsabilité sociale et environnementale, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM), Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Bo P Weidema
- Danish Centre for Environmental Assessment, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Jane Bare
- Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Bhavik Bakshi
- William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | - John M Johnston
- Office of Research and Development, National Exposure Research Laboratory, United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Athens, GA, USA
| | - Ana Laura Raymundo Pavan
- Center for Water Resource and Environmental Studies, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil
| | - Xinyu Liu
- William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Alexis Laurent
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment (QSA) Group, Sustainability Division, DTU Management, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Francesca Verones
- Industrial Ecology Programme, Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| |
Collapse
|