Greenhouse gas emissions of small scale ornamental plant production in Austria - A case study

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from floricultural production in Austria based on a small-scale case study in which emissions were calculated using highly detailed accounts of a specific nursery for the years 2009–2013. The nursery produces a large assortment of cut flowers and pot plants. In terms of methods, the study is based on a life cycle assessment approach, presenting global warming as impact indicator. To reach a meaningful comparison of cut flowers and pot plants, the functional unit “days of flowering” is developed, referring to the function of ornamental plants. This new functional unit enables to a comparison of different kind of products based on their longevity. Including this factor allows a more nuanced comparison of flowers in terms of their GHG emissions. For example, if the widespread functional unit “piece of product” is applied, cyclamen appear to be associated with high emissions, whereas their emissions are slightly below average when the functional unit “days of flowering” is used.