Towards harmonised and regionalised life cycle assessment of fruits: A review on citrus fruit

Abstract

The citrus fruit sector is globally relevant. Considering the great contribution of agri-food systems to environmental impacts, assessing and reducing them can make a positive contribution to the environment. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a widespread tool used to quantify the complex environmental interactions of agri-food systems in general and perennial fruit crops in particular. However, methodological aspects need to be harmonised to perform useful and representative LCAs on fruits. The goal of this study is to provide an updated descriptive and critical review of the state of the art of LCA research into citrus fruits. We aim to identify the main methodological decisions, paying special attention to crop cycle modelling and regional representability. Bearing this in mind, we propose recommendations for a harmonised application of LCA on citrus fruits, identifying areas worthy of further research. The main hotspots of the production process are also identified, to understand where improvement efforts should be directed to. To this end, a two-step search was carried out and a final sample of 23 records was obtained. The production of both pesticides and fertilisers together with their on-field emissions are the main hotspots in the reviewed articles. Regarding areas for further research, a lack of studies into the early stages of citrus fruit production is detected. Farm representativeness, both temporal and spatial, is highlighted as a critical issue when assessing regional fruit production. This implies improving life cycle inventories, namely by using site-specific methods to estimate fertiliser and pesticide emissions, developing regionalized datasets of agricultural inputs, and strengthening water inventories. As to the impact assessment, the estimation of both water scarcity and biodiversity impacts is encouraged, together with the use of regionalised impact characterisation methods. Boosting LCA studies on citrus fruits producing countries outside the European Union along with the use of other sustainability tools can support the development of environmental policies. The results of this review can be beneficial for both LCA practitioners and decision-makers, paving the way for a more responsible and sustainable citrus fruit production.