IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/endesu/v26y2024i9d10.1007_s10668-023-03649-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in Cretan vineyards for the development of a crop-specific decision support tool

Author

Listed:
  • Sotirios Pilafidis

    (Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh))

  • Eleftherios Kosmas

    (Hellenic Mediterranean University)

  • Ioannis Livieratos

    (Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh))

  • Vasileios D. Gkisakis

    (ELGO—DIMITRA, Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops and Viticulture)

Abstract

Energy use analysis and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are among the most important aspects regarding the sustainability performance of a farming system. The aim of this study was to assess the environmental impact, in terms of energy consumption and GHG emissions in thirty vineyards located on Crete, Greece, and deliver a digital, decision support tool (DST). A simplified life cycle approach was used to collect data from the vineyards up to farm gate, located in the top wine-producing Cretan municipalities, regarding farming practices, inputs, and yield for a 2-year period. Sum energy and non-renewable energy intensity and efficiency were calculated. GHG emissions were estimated in terms of CO2 equivalents, following IPCC methodology, while the emissions intensity is also reported. Fossil fuels consumed by machinery for weed management, transportation, soil management, pest control, and synthetic fertilizers were the practices found to be accountable for the higher energy consumption. Synthetic fertilizers and fossil fuel consumption were the main sources of GHG emissions, followed by burning of the pruning residues. Omitting burning pruning residues, reducing tillage intensity, and replacing mechanical weed management are highlighted as the main practices that can improve the sustainability of viticulture on Crete. Making use of the collected data, a crop-specific DST, named “ECO2VINE”, for calculating a vineyard’s energy use and GHG emissions was developed, validated, and made publicly available.

Suggested Citation

  • Sotirios Pilafidis & Eleftherios Kosmas & Ioannis Livieratos & Vasileios D. Gkisakis, 2024. "Assessing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in Cretan vineyards for the development of a crop-specific decision support tool," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(9), pages 24415-24452, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:26:y:2024:i:9:d:10.1007_s10668-023-03649-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-03649-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10668-023-03649-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10668-023-03649-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Guzmán, Gloria I. & Alonso, Antonio M., 2008. "A comparison of energy use in conventional and organic olive oil production in Spain," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 98(3), pages 167-176, October.
    2. Carmen Ferrara & Giovanni De Feo, 2018. "Life Cycle Assessment Application to the Wine Sector: A Critical Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-16, February.
    3. Hualou Long & Yingnan Zhang & Li Ma & Shuangshuang Tu, 2021. "Land Use Transitions: Progress, Challenges and Prospects," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-20, August.
    4. Rose, David C. & Sutherland, William J. & Parker, Caroline & Lobley, Matt & Winter, Michael & Morris, Carol & Twining, Susan & Ffoulkes, Charles & Amano, Tatsuya & Dicks, Lynn V., 2016. "Decision support tools for agriculture: Towards effective design and delivery," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 165-174.
    5. Tomás B. Ramos, 2019. "Sustainability Assessment: Exploring the Frontiers and Paradigms of Indicator Approaches," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-14, February.
    6. Magdalena Ziolo & Sandra Jednak & Gordana Savić & Dragana Kragulj, 2020. "Link between Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Economic and Financial Development in OECD Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-28, November.
    7. Johan Rockström & Will Steffen & Kevin Noone & Åsa Persson & F. Stuart Chapin & Eric F. Lambin & Timothy M. Lenton & Marten Scheffer & Carl Folke & Hans Joachim Schellnhuber & Björn Nykvist & Cynthia , 2009. "A safe operating space for humanity," Nature, Nature, vol. 461(7263), pages 472-475, September.
    8. Gallardo, Marisa & Elia, Antonio & Thompson, Rodney B., 2020. "Decision support systems and models for aiding irrigation and nutrient management of vegetable crops," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    9. Christian Schader & Lukas Baumgart & Jan Landert & Adrian Muller & Brian Ssebunya & Johan Blockeel & Rainer Weisshaidinger & Richard Petrasek & Dóra Mészáros & Susanne Padel & Catherine Gerrard & Laur, 2016. "Using the Sustainability Monitoring and Assessment Routine (SMART) for the Systematic Analysis of Trade-Offs and Synergies between Sustainability Dimensions and Themes at Farm Level," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-20, March.
    10. Ness, Barry & Urbel-Piirsalu, Evelin & Anderberg, Stefan & Olsson, Lennart, 2007. "Categorising tools for sustainability assessment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(3), pages 498-508, January.
    11. Taxidis, Efstratios T. & Menexes, George C. & Mamolos, Andreas P. & Tsatsarelis, Constantinos A. & Anagnostopoulos, Christos D. & Kalburtji, Kyriaki L., 2015. "Comparing organic and conventional olive groves relative to energy use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the cultivation of two varieties," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 117-124.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Trigo, Ana & Marta-Costa, Ana & Fragoso, Rui, 2023. "Improving sustainability assessment: A context-oriented classification analysis for the wine industry," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    2. Emmanouil Tziolas & Eleftherios Karapatzak & Ioannis Kalathas & Chris Lytridis & Spyridon Mamalis & Stefanos Koundouras & Theodore Pachidis & Vassilis G. Kaburlasos, 2023. "Comparative Assessment of Environmental/Energy Performance under Conventional Labor and Collaborative Robot Scenarios in Greek Viticulture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-21, February.
    3. Oriana Gava & Fabio Bartolini & Francesca Venturi & Gianluca Brunori & Angela Zinnai & Alberto Pardossi, 2018. "A Reflection of the Use of the Life Cycle Assessment Tool for Agri-Food Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, December.
    4. Changchang Liu & Chuxiong Deng & Zhongwu Li & Yaojun Liu & Shuyuan Wang, 2022. "Optimization of Spatial Pattern of Land Use: Progress, Frontiers, and Prospects," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-22, May.
    5. So Pyay Thar & Thiagarajah Ramilan & Robert J. Farquharson & Deli Chen, 2021. "Identifying Potential for Decision Support Tools through Farm Systems Typology Analysis Coupled with Participatory Research: A Case for Smallholder Farmers in Myanmar," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-20, June.
    6. Stan Selbonne & Loïc Guindé & François Causeret & Pierre Chopin & Jorge Sierra & Régis Tournebize & Jean-Marc Blazy, 2023. "How to Measure the Performance of Farms with Regard to Climate-Smart Agriculture Goals? A Set of Indicators and Its Application in Guadeloupe," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-21, January.
    7. Norman Siebrecht, 2020. "Sustainable Agriculture and Its Implementation Gap—Overcoming Obstacles to Implementation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-27, May.
    8. Ferng, Jiun-Jiun, 2014. "Nested open systems: An important concept for applying ecological footprint analysis to sustainable development assessment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 105-111.
    9. Zhao, Qiang & Yu, Le & Chen, Xin, 2024. "Land system science and its contributions to sustainable development goals: A systematic review," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    10. Samir Mili & Javier Martínez-Vega, 2019. "Accounting for Regional Heterogeneity of Agricultural Sustainability in Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-20, January.
    11. Sala, Serenella & Ciuffo, Biagio & Nijkamp, Peter, 2015. "A systemic framework for sustainability assessment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 314-325.
    12. Axel Lindfors & Roozbeh Feiz & Mats Eklund & Jonas Ammenberg, 2019. "Assessing the Potential, Performance and Feasibility of Urban Solutions: Methodological Considerations and Learnings from Biogas Solutions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-20, July.
    13. Lilliana Stefanovic, 2022. "SDG Performance in Local Organic Food Systems and the Role of Sustainable Public Procurement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-29, September.
    14. Gallego-Elvira, B. & Reca, J. & Martin-Gorriz, B. & Maestre-Valero, J.F. & Martínez-Alvarez, V., 2021. "Irriblend-DSW: A decision support tool for the optimal blending of desalinated and conventional irrigation waters in dry regions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    15. Moritz Wagner & Peter Stanbury & Tabea Dietrich & Johanna Döring & Joachim Ewert & Carlotta Foerster & Maximilian Freund & Matthias Friedel & Claudia Kammann & Mirjam Koch & Tom Owtram & Hans Reiner S, 2023. "Developing a Sustainability Vision for the Global Wine Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-29, July.
    16. Paris, Bas & Vandorou, Foteini & Balafoutis, Athanasios T. & Vaiopoulos, Konstantinos & Kyriakarakos, George & Manolakos, Dimitris & Papadakis, George, 2022. "Energy use in open-field agriculture in the EU: A critical review recommending energy efficiency measures and renewable energy sources adoption," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    17. Erik Roos Lindgreen & Katelin Opferkuch & Anna M. Walker & Roberta Salomone & Tatiana Reyes & Andrea Raggi & Alberto Simboli & Walter J. V. Vermeulen & Sandra Caeiro, 2022. "Exploring assessment practices of companies actively engaged with circular economy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1414-1438, May.
    18. Dombi, Mihály & Kuti, István & Balogh, Péter, 2014. "Sustainability assessment of renewable power and heat generation technologies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 264-271.
    19. Jeroen Ooge & Katrien Verbert, 2022. "Visually Explaining Uncertain Price Predictions in Agrifood: A User-Centred Case-Study," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-25, July.
    20. Nelson, Ewan & Warren, Peter, 2020. "UK transport decoupling: On track for clean growth in transport?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 39-51.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:26:y:2024:i:9:d:10.1007_s10668-023-03649-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.