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Towards better representation of organic agriculture in life cycle assessment

Author

Listed:
  • Hayo M. G. Werf

    (SAS, INRAE, Agrocampus Ouest)

  • Marie Trydeman Knudsen

    (Aarhus University)

  • Christel Cederberg

    (Chalmers University of Technology)

Abstract

The environmental effects of agriculture and food are much discussed, with competing claims concerning the impacts of conventional and organic farming. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is the method most widely used to assess environmental impacts of agricultural products. Current LCA methodology and studies tend to favour high-input intensive agricultural systems and misrepresent less intensive agroecological systems such as organic agriculture. LCA assesses agroecological systems inadequately for three reasons: (1) a lack of operational indicators for three key environmental issues; (2) a narrow perspective on functions of agricultural systems; and (3) inconsistent modelling of indirect effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Hayo M. G. Werf & Marie Trydeman Knudsen & Christel Cederberg, 2020. "Towards better representation of organic agriculture in life cycle assessment," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 3(6), pages 419-425, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:3:y:2020:i:6:d:10.1038_s41893-020-0489-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-020-0489-6
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    Cited by:

    1. Lelde Timma & Elina Dace & Troels Kristensen & Marie Trydeman Knudsen, 2020. "Dynamic Sustainability Assessment Tool: Case Study of Green Biorefineries in Danish Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-23, September.
    2. Wood, A. & Moberg, E. & Curi-Quinto, K. & Van Rysselberge, P. & Röös, E., 2023. "From “good for people” to “good for people and planet” – Placing health and environment on equal footing when developing food-based dietary guidelines," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    3. Koblianska, Inna & Kalachevska, Larysa & Schlauderer, Ralf, 2024. "Agricultural life cycle assessment: a system-wide bibliometric research," Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, vol. 10(1), March.
    4. Zhen, Huayang & Gao, Wenzeng & Yuan, Kai & Ju, Xuehai & Qiao, Yuhui, 2021. "Internalizing externalities through net ecosystem service analysis–A case study of greenhouse vegetable farms in Beijing," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    5. Elisie Kåresdotter & Lisa Bergqvist & Ginnette Flores-Carmenate & Henrik Haller & Anders Jonsson, 2022. "Modeling the Carbon Sequestration Potential of Multifunctional Agroforestry-Based Phytoremediation (MAP) Systems in Chinandega, Nicaragua," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-14, April.
    6. Taghikhah, Firouzeh & Voinov, Alexey & Shukla, Nagesh & Filatova, Tatiana & Anufriev, Mikhail, 2021. "Integrated modeling of extended agro-food supply chains: A systems approach," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 288(3), pages 852-868.
    7. Pradeleix, L. & Roux, P. & Bouarfa, S. & Bellon-Maurel, V., 2023. "Multilevel life cycle assessment to evaluate prospective agricultural development scenarios in a semi-arid irrigated region of Tunisia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    8. Jouan, Julia & Carof, Matthieu & Baccar, Rim & Bareille, Nathalie & Bastian, Suzanne & Brogna, Delphine & Burgio, Giovanni & Couvreur, Sébastien & Cupiał, Michał & Dufrêne, Marc & Dumont, Benjamin & G, 2021. "SEGAE: An online serious game to learn agroecology," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    9. Mondière, Aymeric & Corson, Michael S. & Auberger, Julie & Durant, Daphné & Foray, Sylvain & Glinec, Jean-Francois & Green, Penny & Novak, Sandra & Signoret, Frédéric & van der Werf, Hayo M.G., 2024. "Trade-offs between higher productivity and lower environmental impacts for biodiversity-friendly and conventional cattle-oriented systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    10. Goglio, Pietro & Moakes, Simon & Knudsen, Marie Trydeman & Van Mierlo, Klara & Adams, Nina & Maxime, Fossey & Maresca, Alberto & Romero-Huelva, Manuel & Waqas, Muhammad Ahmed & Smith, Laurence G. & Gr, 2024. "Harmonizing methods to account for soil nitrous oxide emissions in Life Cycle Assessment of agricultural systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    11. Mahmoud Tarhini, 2022. "Consumption and Consumer Behaviour of Organic AGRI-FOOD Products," REVISTA DE MANAGEMENT COMPARAT INTERNATIONAL/REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE MANAGEMENT, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 23(1), pages 136-149, March.
    12. Pépin, Antonin & Morel, Kevin & van der Werf, Hayo M.G., 2021. "Conventionalised vs. agroecological practices on organic vegetable farms: Investigating the influence of farm structure in a bifurcation perspective," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    13. Magne, Marie-Angélina & Alaphilippe, Aude & Bérard, Annette & Cournut, Sylvie & Dumont, Bertrand & Gosme, Marie & Hedde, Mickael & Morel, Kevin & Mugnier, Sylvie & Parnaudeau, Virginie & Nozières-Peti, 2024. "Applying assessment methods to diversified farming systems: Simple adjustment or complete overhaul?," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    14. Sean Clark, 2020. "Organic Farming and Climate Change: The Need for Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-7, August.
    15. Benoit, Marc & Mottet, Anne, 2023. "Energy scarcity and rising cost: Towards a paradigm shift for livestock," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    16. Elvira Molin & Michael Martin & Anna Björklund, 2021. "Addressing Sustainability within Public Procurement of Food: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-21, December.
    17. Anthony Fardet & Edmond Rock, 2020. "Ultra-Processed Foods and Food System Sustainability: What Are the Links?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-26, August.
    18. Smith, Laurence G. & Westaway, Sally & Mullender, Samantha & Ghaley, Bhim Bahadur & Xu, Ying & Lehmann, Lisa Mølgaard & Pisanelli, Andrea & Russo, Giuseppe & Borek, Robert & Wawer, Rafał & Borzęcka, M, 2022. "Assessing the multidimensional elements of sustainability in European agroforestry systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    19. Miriam C. Dobson & Philip H. Warren & Jill L. Edmondson, 2021. "Assessing the Direct Resource Requirements of Urban Horticulture in the United Kingdom: A Citizen Science Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-18, March.
    20. Debuschewitz, Emil & Sanders, Jürn, 2021. "Bewertung der Umweltwirkungen des ökologischen Landbaus im Kontext der kontroversen wissenschaftlichen Diskurse," 61st Annual Conference, Berlin, Germany, September 22-24, 2021 317076, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    21. Mohamed Ghali & Maha Ben Jaballah & Nejla Ben Arfa & Annie Sigwalt, 2022. "Analysis of factors that influence adoption of agroecological practices in viticulture," Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies, Springer, vol. 103(3), pages 179-209, September.
    22. Yuanqin Ge, 2022. "RETRACTED ARTICLE: The impact of dynamic knowledge management capability on enterprise innovation performance," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 1048-1059, December.

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