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Emergy evaluation of hierarchically nested systems: application to EU27, Italy and Tuscany and consequences for the meaning of emergy indicators

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  • Morandi, Fabiana
  • Campbell, Daniel E.
  • Pulselli, Federico M.
  • Bastianoni, Simone

Abstract

What is the role of a system's size in an emergy evaluation, when we have to evaluate nested systems? To answer this question, we consider a simple nested system with three levels of organization and then examine the relationships among the emergy flows at each level and among the indicators derived from these flows. As an example of nested systems with three levels of organization, we consider a nested territorial system that is European Union–Italy–Tuscany. In particular, this system is analyzed as Italy within the European Union and Tuscany within Italy. The emergy evaluation of each hierarchical pair of system levels is presented using a new method based on set theory and, moreover, each level is analyzed as an independent system. This “double analysis” is necessary because the emergy indicators obtained for each level, are analyzed and compared to show the differences that appear when the system under study is considered as part of the larger system that contains it. In this work, data analysis shows that the set of imported flows changes its cardinality when changing the level in the hierarchically organization. In particular, with respect to EU27 and Italy, it emerges that Tuscany has a very high Environmental Loading Ratio (ELR), while EU27 has the lower value both for the Emergy Investment Ratio (EIR) and for the Emergy Yeld Ratio (EYR). It means that in Tuscany there is a big pressure on ecosystems from non-renewable flows while, in general, the EU27 might be a good place for future economic investments.

Suggested Citation

  • Morandi, Fabiana & Campbell, Daniel E. & Pulselli, Federico M. & Bastianoni, Simone, 2015. "Emergy evaluation of hierarchically nested systems: application to EU27, Italy and Tuscany and consequences for the meaning of emergy indicators," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 315(C), pages 12-27.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:315:y:2015:i:c:p:12-27
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2015.04.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Brown, M. T. & Herendeen, R. A., 1996. "Embodied energy analysis and EMERGY analysis: a comparative view," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 219-235, December.
    2. Morandi, Fabiana & Campbell, Daniel E. & Pulselli, Riccardo M. & Bastianoni, Simone, 2013. "Using the language of sets to describe nested systems in emergy evaluations," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 265(C), pages 85-98.
    3. Morandi, Fabiana & Campbell, Daniel E. & Bastianoni, Simone, 2014. "Set theory applied to uniquely define the inputs to territorial systems in emergy analyses," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 271(C), pages 149-157.
    4. Bastianoni, Simone & Morandi, Fabiana & Flaminio, Tommaso & Pulselli, Riccardo M. & Tiezzi, Elisa B.P., 2011. "Emergy and emergy algebra explained by means of ingenuous set theory," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(16), pages 2903-2907.
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    Cited by:

    1. Fonseca, Ana Margarida P. & Marques, Carlos A.F. & Pinto-Correia, Teresa & Guiomar, Nuno & Campbell, Daniel E., 2019. "Emergy evaluation for decision-making in complex multifunctional farming systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 1-12.
    2. Berrios, Fernando & Campbell, Daniel E. & Ortiz, Marco, 2017. "Emergy evaluation of benthic ecosystems influenced by upwelling in northern Chile: Contributions of the ecosystems to the regional economy," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 359(C), pages 146-164.
    3. Yu, Xiaoman & Geng, Yong & Dong, Huijuan & Ulgiati, Sergio & Liu, Zhe & Liu, Zuoxi & Ma, Zhixiao & Tian, Xu & Sun, Lu, 2016. "Sustainability assessment of one industrial region: A combined method of emergy analysis and IPAT (Human Impact Population Affluence Technology)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 818-830.

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    Keywords

    Hierarchical emergy evaluation; Set theory; EU27; Italy; Tuscany;
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