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A Practical Comparison of Regionalized Land Use and Biodiversity Life Cycle Impact Assessment Models Using Livestock Production as a Case Study

Author

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  • Ricardo F. M. Teixeira

    (MARETEC—Marine, Environment and Technology Centre, LARSyS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Tiago G. Morais

    (MARETEC—Marine, Environment and Technology Centre, LARSyS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Tiago Domingos

    (MARETEC—Marine, Environment and Technology Centre, LARSyS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

Abstract

Land use is increasingly important for impact assessment in life cycle assessment (LCA). Its impacts on biodiversity and provision of ecosystem services are crucial to depict the environmental performance of products. Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) models are commonly selected by consensus through processes frequently misinformed by the absence of practical application studies. Here, we performed an assessment of all free and peer-reviewed LCIA models for land use. We started with spatial correlation analysis at the country scale. Models that use the same indicators are strongly correlated, suggesting that regionalization is no longer a decisive issue in model selection. We applied these models in a case study for cattle production where feeds are replaced by sown biodiverse pastures (SBP). We tested (1) a non-regionalized inventory from an LCA database and, (2) a regionalized inventory that explicit considered the locations of land occupation and transformation. We found the same qualitative result: the installation of SBP avoids impacts due to feed substitution. Each hectare of SBP installed avoids the occupation of 0.5 hectares per year for feed ingredient production. Adding inventory regionalization for 70% of land use flows leads to a change of 15% in results, suggesting limited spatial differentiation between country-level characterization factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Tiago G. Morais & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "A Practical Comparison of Regionalized Land Use and Biodiversity Life Cycle Impact Assessment Models Using Livestock Production as a Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-19, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:11:p:4089-:d:181258
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tiago G. Morais & Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Nuno R. Rodrigues & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "Carbon Footprint of Milk from Pasture-Based Dairy Farms in Azores, Portugal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-22, October.
    2. Ricardo F.M. Teixeira, 2015. "Critical Appraisal of Life Cycle Impact Assessment Databases for Agri-food Materials," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 19(1), pages 38-50, February.
    3. Ricardo Teixeira & Sara Pax, 2011. "A Survey of Life Cycle Assessment Practitioners with a Focus on the Agri‐Food Sector," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 15(6), pages 817-820, December.
    4. Tiago G. Morais & Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "The Effects on Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Ecological Intensification of Meat Production with Rainfed Sown Biodiverse Pastures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-23, November.
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    1. Tiago G. Morais & Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Nuno R. Rodrigues & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "Characterizing Livestock Production in Portuguese Sown Rainfed Grasslands: Applying the Inverse Approach to a Process-Based Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-21, November.
    2. Tiago G. Morais & Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Nuno R. Rodrigues & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "Carbon Footprint of Milk from Pasture-Based Dairy Farms in Azores, Portugal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-22, October.
    3. Stephanie D. Maier & Jan Paul Lindner & Javier Francisco, 2019. "Conceptual Framework for Biodiversity Assessments in Global Value Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-34, March.
    4. Ricardo F.M. Teixeira & Lúcia Barão & Tiago G. Morais & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "“BalSim”: A Carbon, Nitrogen and Greenhouse Gas Mass Balance Model for Pastures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-26, December.
    5. Tiago G. Morais & Ricardo F. M. Teixeira & Tiago Domingos, 2018. "The Effects on Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Ecological Intensification of Meat Production with Rainfed Sown Biodiverse Pastures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-23, November.
    6. Ricardo F.M. Teixeira & Tiago Domingos, 2019. "Current Practice and Future Perspectives for Livestock Production and Industrial Ecology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-5, August.

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