Environmental Trade-offs Research Articles

Socio-economic and environmental trade-offs in Amazonian protected areas and Indigenous territories revealed by assessing competing land uses.

Protected area (PA) assessments rarely evaluate socio-economic and environmental impacts relative to competing land uses, limiting understanding of socio-environmental trade-offs from efforts to protect 30% of the globe by 2030. Here we assess deforestation and poverty outcomes (fiscal income, income inequality, sanitation and literacy) between 2000 and 2010 of strict PAs (SPAs), sustainable-use PAs (SUPAs) and Indigenous territories (ITs) compared with different land uses (agriculture and mining concessions) across ~5,500 census tracts in the Brazilian Legal Amazon. ITs reduced deforestation relative to all alternative land uses (48-83%) but had smaller socio-economic benefits compared with other protection types and land uses (18-36% depending on outcome), indicating that Indigenous communities experience socio-economic trade-offs. By contrast, SUPAs, and potentially SPAs, did not reduce deforestation relative to small-scale agriculture (landholdings <10 ha) but did so relative to larger agricultural landholdings (70-82%). Critically, these reductions in deforestation frequently occurred without negative socio-economic outcomes. By contrast, ITs and SUPAs protected against deforestation from mining, but at the cost of smaller improvements in income and inequality. Our results suggest that although PAs in the Brazilian Legal Amazon substantially reduced deforestation without compromising local socio-economic development, efforts to secure Indigenous rights need additional interventions to ensure these communities are not further disadvantaged.

Consequential versus attributional life cycle optimization of poultry manure management technologies in a food-energy-water-waste nexus

To model the environmental and economic tradeoffs of managing poultry manure wastes in a food-energy-water-waste nexus, this work builds a framework to conduct a combined life cycle and techno-economic optimization and a spatial analysis of poultry manure management technologies. To align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 6: Clean Water and Sanitation and 13: Climate Action by mitigating the massive water and climate impacts induced by the common practice of fertilizer crops using direct land application of poultry manure, the framework minimizes freshwater eutrophication (FE) impact and climate change impact (GWP). To account for the circular economy, the net present value (NPV) is maximized to measure the economic feasibility of implementing alternative management pathways. A multi-objective mixed-integer non-linear programming framework accounts for the selection of direct land application, and waste to energy technologies, spatial variation in manure supply, facility sizing, and the products’ consumption and end-of-life. This optimization framework is evaluated for a case study in New York state. Under an attributional life cycle optimization, anaerobic digestion minimizes FE with an impact of 0.002 kg P-eq/ton manure, while using a consequential life cycle optimization, hydrothermal carbonization minimizes FE with an impact of −0.96 kg P-eq/ton manure. For both life cycle methodologies, pyrolysis with land application of biochar minimizes GWP. At the attributional life cycle assessment tradeoff point for GWP and NPV, minimum carbon credits of US$33/ton CO2-eq are necessary for a pyrolysis plant to have a positive NPV, implying that harnessing economies of scale or robust carbon accounting is necessary for the widespread adoption of pyrolysis as a poultry manure management technology.

Environmental impacts of food packaging: Is it all a matter of raw materials?

The packaging sector and the environmental impacts stemming from its various materials and applications are currently at the forefront of scientific and political debate. To estimate the environmental impacts associated with raw materials and identify the role of industrial processes, this study presents a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment applied to two distinct packaging formulations for chocolate bars, namely oriented polypropylene-based and paper-based packaging. The product systems related to the two alternatives were compared by focusing on the contribution of each resource input and emission of the production phase, to identify respective environmental trade-offs and potentials for future improvements throughout the life cycle. Our study also proposes a laboratory-based approach to develop robust assumptions concerning the modeling of end-of-life material treatment and provide support to decision-making toward environmentally sustainable waste management practices. From the outcomes, a relative preference emerges for paper-based packaging, from a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 16 out of 18 environmental categories, depending on the evaluated scenario. The hotspot analysis highlighted a significant influence of the processing phases, with raw materials being generally characterized by lower percentage contributions to the final impact. In conclusion, the findings underscore the importance of considering the entire life cycle when assessing packaging sustainability. Moreover, the proposed laboratory approach offers valuable insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders to optimize end-of-life strategies and minimize the overall environmental footprint of packaging materials.

Advancing decision-making strategies through a comprehensive study of Multi-Armed Bandit algorithms and applications

Multi-Armed Bandit (MAB) strategies play a pivotal role in decision-making algorithms by adeptly managing the exploration-exploitation trade-off in environments characterized by multiple options and constrained resources. This paper delves into the core MAB algorithms, including Explore-Then-Commit (ETC), Thompson Sampling, and Upper Confidence Bound (UCB). It provides a detailed examination of their theoretical underpinnings and their application across diverse sectors such as recommender systems, healthcare, and finance. MAB algorithms are celebrated for their efficiency in optimizing decision outcomes; however, they are not without challenges. Significant issues include managing the complexity of exploration and adapting to non-stationary environments where the dynamics of the available options may change over time. A nuanced understanding of these challenges is crucial for effectively implementing MAB strategies in complex decision-making scenarios. This study not only highlights the versatility and potential of MAB algorithms but also underscores the need for ongoing research to refine these techniques and expand their applicability.

Beyond Tailpipe Emissions: Life Cycle Assessment Unravels Battery’s Carbon Footprint in Electric Vehicles

While electric vehicles (EVs) offer lower life cycle greenhouse gas emissions in some regions, the concern over the greenhouse gas emissions generated during battery production is often debated. This literature review examines the true environmental trade-offs between conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and emerging technologies such as solid-state batteries (SSBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). It emphasizes the carbon-intensive nature of LIB manufacturing and explores how alternative technologies can enhance efficiency while reducing the carbon footprint. We have used a keyword search technique to review articles related to batteries and their environmental performances. The study results reveal that the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of battery production alone range from 10 to 394 kgCO2 eq./kWh. We identified that lithium manganese cobalt oxide and lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide batteries, despite their high energy density, exhibit higher GHGs (20–394 kgCO2 eq./kWh) because of the cobalt and nickel production. Lithium iron phosphate (34–246 kgCO2 eq./kWh) and sodium-ion (40–70 kgCO2 eq./kWh) batteries showed lower environmental impacts because of the abundant feedstock, emerging as a sustainable choice, especially when high energy density is not essential. This review also concludes that the GHGs of battery production are highly dependent on the regional grid carbon intensity. Batteries produced in China, for example, have higher GHGs than those produced in the United States (US) and European Union (EU). Understanding the GHGs of battery production is critical to fairly evaluating the environmental impact of battery electric vehicles.

EXPLORING THE VIABILITY AND IMPACT OF VEGANISM IN LUXURY FASHION

As environmental concerns rise, luxury fashion brands are increasingly adopting vegan materials to create eco-friendly collections without compromising on quality or style. This study aims to explore the viability and impact of veganism in luxury fashion, focusing on its influence on consumer behavior, industry standards, and sustainability. A comprehensive review of secondary sources, including academic literature, industry reports, and sustainability assessments, was conducted to analyze the rise of vegan materials in luxury fashion. The study found that environmental awareness, ethical consumerism, and technological advancements are key drivers behind the increasing viability of vegan materials like Piñatex and Mylo in luxury fashion, despite challenges related to durability and environmental trade-offs. The adoption of vegan materials offers luxury brands a strategic opportunity to align with consumer demand for sustainability and ethical production, enhancing brand image and loyalty. Future research should explore the scalability of vegan materials, examine consumer perceptions of vegan luxury, and assess the long-term sustainability and lifecycle impacts of these alternatives.

Assessing the Potential for Electrification of the Food Industry and Its Implications for Environmental Sustainability

Most studies on industrial heat decarbonization by electrification focus on energy and greenhouse gas emissions. However, there are additional potential environmental impacts to be considered to make a fair comparison. The aim of the proposed work is therefore to highlight the benefits and drawbacks of switching to electricity, using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to explore more environmental issues. In addition, in order to evaluate the environmental sustainability of this transformation, the LCA results are compared with sustainability thresholds defined with two different methods, on a global scale using the “sustainable levels” concept. The first method is based on the current environmental impacts of industrial processes, while the second considers the economic added value. Industrial heat production levels for the Danish and French food industries are used as case studies. The results show a large number of environmental trade-offs associated with electrification, some of which are leading to unsustainable levels. Sustainability thresholds based on economic added value ensure a fairer distribution between sectors, in particular by preventing the most virtuous sectors and processes from being penalized.

A new framework for project time–cost–environmental trade-off problem with hybrid Fermatean fuzzy–grey information

A new framework for project time–cost–environmental trade-off problem with hybrid Fermatean fuzzy–grey information

Life cycle emissions and unit production cost of sustainable aviation fuel from logging residues in Georgia, United States

Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) has gained popularity for reducing carbon emissions from the aviation sector. To evaluate the environmental and economic tradeoffs related to SAF production and its potential use, this study estimates the life cycle carbon emissions and unit production cost of SAF produced from logging residues generated during harvest and thinning operations in Georgia, a major roundwood producing state in the Southern United States. We considered two production pathways, i.e., Ethanol-to-Jet (ETJ) and Iso-Butanol-to-Jet (Iso-BTJ), to compute the carbon savings and unit production costs. A sensitivity analysis was performed to identify significant factors contributing to the overall carbon savings and unit production costs for the selected pathways. After considering revenues generated from co-products, the minimum aviation fuel selling price (MASP) was $2.71 L-1 and $2.44 L-1 for ETJ and Iso-BTJ pathways, respectively. Capital investment cost at biorefinery accounted for most of the MASP, followed by the minimum haul rate for transporting biomass and variable cost for alcohol intermediate production. Finally, after considering tax credit from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and RIN (Renewable Identification Number) credit along with co-product revenue, the MASP ranged between $2.29 L-1 and 0.83 L-1 for the ETJ pathway and between $2.04 L-1 and $0.59 L-1 for the Iso-BTJ pathway. In addition, the carbon intensity of both the ETJ and Iso-BTJ pathways were 758 g CO2e L−1 and 976 g CO2e L−1, with relative carbon savings of 70.6 % and 62.1 % compared to conventional aviation fuel. The production cost suggests a minimum abatement cost of $59 t CO2e−1 for the ETJ and -$59.3 t CO2e−1 for the Iso-BTJ pathways in the presence of federal incentives. Our study shows that logging residues-based SAF could reduce the overall carbon footprint of the aviation sector; however, policy support is needed to support its production in light of higher production costs.

Integrated life cycle assessment in off-grid energy system design—Uncovering low hanging fruit for climate mitigation

We perform an ex-ante life cycle assessment, integrating cradle-to-gate greenhouse gas emissions into an off-grid energy system model. By applying a multi-objective optimization, minimizing both costs and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions, we find the Pareto boundary between these two goals. As a case study, we chose the power supply to an astronomical observatory in Chile, using mostly solar power and energy storage in batteries and hydrogen. We compare the ex-ante study to a prior ex-post life cycle assessment, and furthermore dive into sensitivities of our model regarding component lifetimes and costs. We find (i) low-hanging fruit in lowering emissions with small cost increases, (ii) ex-ante life cycle assessments’ possibility to find less CO2e intensive power systems compared to ex-post conducted studies, (iii) a pronounced sensitivity of the optimization model on assumed lifetimes of energy storage components. This study shows the importance of including life cycle CO2e emissions into the optimization objective of energy system models. This method uncovers the environmental and economic trade-offs associated with high shares of renewable energies in off-grid energy systems.

Environmental trade-offs of meeting nutritional requirements with a lower share of animal protein for adult subpopulations

Decreasing the share of protein contributed by animal-based foods is recommended to move towards more sustainable and healthier diets. This study aimed to assess the potential environmental impacts of diets with a lower share of animal protein. The diets were modeled to include the minimum share of animal protein in total protein that met nutrient requirements and did not increase costs. The new diets also minimized the difference in the quantity of food from those of observed (OBS) diets. They were modeled for five adult subpopulations (defined by sex and age) using mathematical optimization. The model was created by combining the INCA2 database (to model OBS diets in the French population) and a database of 207 food items to adjust nutritional and price parameters. All modeled diets satisfied nutritional and cost constraints. A low-animal-protein (LAP) diet was identified for each subpopulation by progressively decreasing the share of animal protein by steps of 5% until the recommended quantity of protein and/or consumption constraints were no longer satisfied. Potential environmental impacts of the LAP diets in eight impact categories were calculated using life cycle assessment and life cycle inventories from Agribalyse® 3.0. A LAP diet for the entire population was calculated as a weighted mean of the subpopulations’ LAP diets. The share of animal protein decreased from 70% in the OBS diet to 50% in the LAP diet. Compared to the OBS diet, the LAP diet decreased five environmental impacts: climate change (greenhouse gas emissions), acidification (emissions of acidifying compounds) and land occupation (all by more than 30%), cumulative energy demand (by 23%) and marine eutrophication (by 13%). Conversely, it increased three environmental impacts: freshwater eutrophication and water use (both by ca. 40%) and biodiversity damage potential (potential loss of species associated with land use) (by 66%). These results suggest that decreasing the share of animal protein to 50% is compatible with nutritional requirements, affordability and consumption constraints, but would have mixed effects on the environment.

The design and development of a dashboard for improving sustainable healthy food choices

Over the last decade, several digital tools have been designed to provide consumers with nutritional and environmental impact information about their food choices post-consumption. Many of these tools lack behavioral change modules, have low user engagement, and ignore inherent environmental nutrition trade-offs to stimulate dietary change. This study presents the design and development of a decision support system to enhance consumer health while meeting sustainability goals from a pre-consumption perspective. The proposed decision support system, Dashboard for Improving Sustainable Healthy (DISH) food choices, employs behavioral features, traffic light labels, and nudges to inform end-users about the nutritional health performance and environmental impact of meals. DISH uses a simple metric that allows end-users to explore the potential minutes of healthy and productive life gained or lost from consuming 100 kcal of a meal. The metric combines the positive or negative nutritional health effects (μ-DALYs) of consuming a meal and environmental damage (endpoint impact expressed in DALYs) on human health. In the DISH application, end-users are rewarded or deducted EnCoins, which represent the number of silver or gold coins lost or gained based on the cost ($) of environmental damage (midpoint impacts) of a meal compared to reference sustainable healthy and unsustainable and unhealthy meal. DISH's gamification module enables end-users to track the potential minutes of healthy and productive life gained/lost and gold or silver rewards or deductions from consuming 100 kcal of a selected meal through cumulative minutes gained or lost and EnCoins. In promoting a sustainable diet culture, the gamification module enables users to create groups and communities where friends and families can track their sustainability performance through meal decisions. The DISH application is currently available online and can be accessed by an end-user through any device. Further pilot studies will focus on testing the technology in partner campus cafeterias.

Economic and environmental implications of carbon capture in an olive pruning tree biomass biorefinery

This study explores the integration of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in a biorefinery system that converts olive tree prunings into bioethanol and antioxidants. With a capacity to process 1,500 tons of prunings daily, the biorefinery yields an annual production of around 12,000 tons of antioxidants (purity >60 %) and 78,000 tons of bioethanol. Utilizing a holistic approach involving process simulations and life cycle assessment, our analysis covers technical, economic, and environmental dimensions across two scenarios differing in design and heating source: natural gas or a BECCS system using olive prunings. Our findings reveal the potential for BECCS to drastically reduce the carbon footprint, potentially achieving net-negative emissions (−84.37 kg CO2eq per 1.00 kg of bioethanol and 0.15 kg antioxidants produced). However, these environmental gains are counterbalanced by economic and environmental challenges, with investment and operating costs nearly doubling and leading to complex environmental trade-offs related to eutrophication (+75 %), increased water consumption (+45 %), and expanded land use (+80 %). Nevertheless, the premium nature of carbon-negative products, coupled with growing awareness and supportive policy frameworks, may overcome these economic barriers. This study highlights the importance of holistic evaluation when integrating CCS into biorefineries facilitating informed decision-making to address unintended adverse effects and promoting sustainability.

Assessing environmental trade-offs in packaging systems for infant formula delivery: A cradle-to-gate plus end-of-life life cycle assessment

An LCA study was conducted comparing three packaging systems to deliver infant formula, including primary (plastic, composite, and steel containers), secondary (corrugated box), and tertiary (pallet) levels, all manufactured and distributed in North America. The project goal involved quantifying each system's environmental footprint (EF), evaluating the effect of end-of-life (EoL) modeling in LCA results, and interpreting trade-offs among environmental impact indicators.The functional unit was defined as a packaging system delivering 1000 g of infant formula from cradle-to-gate, plus EoL. The three packages, including EoL, were modeled using SimaPro 9.3.03, with TRACI 2.1 V1.06 Midpoint being the primary impact assessment method. The LCA was performed according to ISO 14040/14044 standards. EoL models included the cut-off method, the 50/50 allocation, and the circular footprint formula (CFF). The stochastic multi-attribute analysis (SMAA) method was implemented to evaluate the trade-offs among the midpoint indicators.The primary package significantly contributed to the three systems in all the evaluated categories. Adjusting the EoL models influences the overall results when comparing the packaging systems' impacts. Contributions in each category vary slightly, with minimal changeover from the highest or lowest package footprints in EoL models. The SMAA ranking preference for all EoL methods indicates that the plastic container is preferred, having the lowest EF with >50 % probability.Environmental impacts of the packages involved trade-off discussion. With the initial EoL methodology (cut-off method), Package 1 (plastic) shows the highest impact in 4 of the 10 impact categories, Package 2 (composite) in 2 of the 10 categories, and Package 3 (steel) in the remaining 4 categories. With the 50/50 allocation and CFF EoL methodologies, different conclusions were reached about the impacts of each package; however, SMAA results found that ranking of the packages within EoL methodologies did not change the conclusions that the plastic package is preferred.

Economic–environmental trade-offs based support policy towards optimal planning of wastewater heat recovery

Wastewater heat, a promising alternative to traditional district heating and cooling sources, can be recovered using heat pumps and transmitted to surrounding buildings for winter heating and summer cooling. Despite its potential benefits, the policies to support wastewater heat recovery remain limited. This study provides support policies for local governments to encourage energy recovery in urban wastewater treatment plants, incorporating subsidies and renewable energy certificates. The local government aims to maximize the recovered energy, minimize the subsidy expenditure, and minimize the certificate price. Urban wastewater treatment plants seek to optimize producer profits under realistic planning constraints. This model was applied in Chengdu, China, which indicates that plants with a daily treatment scale exceeding 30,000 m3 can invest in heat recovery without support policies, achieving recovery ratios of only 27%–29%. As the calculated electricity charge accounts for about 90% of operating cost, the electricity price subsidy proves the most significant in improving the installed capacities, followed by renewable energy certificates, capital refunds, and tax reductions. Electricity prices and renewable energy certificates have combination and substitution effects. Further analysis shows that heat pump efficiencies have low sensitivity in project feasibility. Fluctuations in infrastructure costs have a minimal impact, while charges for heating and cooling services significantly influence feasibility. Lowering the available thermal energy ratio also affects project returns. The government can reduce risks in sensitive parameters by electricity price subsidies or renewable energy certificates.

Assessing the environmental and economic impacts of adopting circular economy for sustainable resource management in the Indian construction sector

PurposeThe aim of this study is to understand the environmental benefits and economic savings associated with adoption of circular economy in the construction sector. The research findings will support different stakeholders and decision makers to develop business models based on responsible consumption of resources and build sustainable business models.Design/methodology/approachThe research uses mixed methodology wherein inventory for life cycle assessment and life cycle costing for environmental and economic impacts is based on primary data using on-site visits for qualitative and quantitative data.FindingsDifferent types of land transportation infrastructures are compared for their environmental impacts. It is found that bridges have the highest environmental impacts as compared to tunnels, roads and railways. Further, the results affirm the environmental and economic benefits of adopting circular economy practices.Originality/valueThis is one of a kind research that compares the environmental and economic tradeoffs of adopting circular economy in different types of land transportation infrastructures.

Dynamics of large-scale solar PV adoption feedback effects: A technical, economic, and environmental assessment

Large residential solar photovoltaic (PV) penetration has a compound effect on the grid load reductions, PV hosts’ economic savings, and the achievable environmental benefits, which is not fully understood. This study combines process-based energy balance modeling, life cycle assessment, regression analysis, and stochastic demand simulations to assess the technical, economic, and environmental tradeoffs under increased residential solar PV adoption, using Boston, MA as a testbed. It was found that increased PV adoption may lead to a steeper ramp-up in the grid during winter months, but a flattened peak load curve during summer months, emphasizing the need for seasonal time-of-use rates and energy storage. It also reduces electricity wholesale prices, lowering PV hosts' economic benefits by about $15 million under 100 % adoption. The largest buildings present the highest load reduction (top 5.5 %) and environmental benefits (top 16.6 %), but they are the least cost efficient (top 14.5 %), requiring tradeoff balance.

Competing digital capacities: between state-led digital governance and local data center tradeoffs

ABSTRACT Governments worldwide are embracing digital transformation, envisioning limitless data capacities for public policy. However, this paper uncovers a crucial oversight: the neglect of material resources sustaining digital ecosystems. This paper introduces contested ‘digital capacities’ in public policy, to show how the aspiration for unlimited data processing strains local resources. Through a comparative analysis of national digitization strategies in the United States and the United Kingdom, this paper reveals a disconnect between the sociotechnical imaginaries and infrastructural demands underpinning these strategies. The infrastructural demands are leading to social and environmental tradeoffs in regional areas strained by digital infrastructure development. I argue that these competing digital capacities – the capacity to govern through digitization and related resource capacities – provide productive data friction for governments to pause and assess the broader social and ecological costs of their national digitization policies. As such, this article emphasizes the need for policymakers to align national digital governance strategies with regional planning for equitable outcomes. By reevaluating competing digital capacities encompassed in national sociotechnical imaginaries, this paper highlights the urgent need for a balanced approach to digitization.

Material services in an emerging economy: Tracking resource utilization in Vietnam's shelter, thermal comfort, and road transportation

Emerging economies continue to exhibit notable growth rates in material consumption. This research employs the Stock-Flow-Service (SFS) nexus to evaluate the use of resources in providing shelter, thermal comfort, and transport services in Vietnam from 2004 to 2019. The investigation encompasses material stocks and flows involved in expanding and maintaining residential buildings, roads, key household products, and vehicles. We quantify energy flows and emissions associated with shelter, thermal comfort, and road transportation. Further, we analyze various indicators illustrating the relations between stocks, flows, and services. Results reveal a significant stock increase, with most material inflows used for expansion rather than maintenance. Notably, there was an increase in material intensity from 1050 to 1400 kg/m2 for shelter and from 4.0 to 7.5 kg/pop-cooling-degree-days for thermal comfort services. Conversely, the stock intensity for transportation services decreased from 86 to 43 kg/freight-km equivalent. Energy and emission intensities grew 23- and 32-fold, respectively. These escalating intensities add pressure to the existing sustainability challenges, underlining the urgent need for reevaluation and intervention. Moreover, the findings underscore the interdependencies of different material stocks in delivering multiple services, shedding light on potential environmental trade-offs between energy and materials. This research provides valuable insights into Vietnam's sustainability policies and contributes to national resource assessments, emphasizing the importance of balancing socioeconomic development with environmental responsibility for a sustainable future.

Development of a new acoustic prediction tool by integration of life cycle assessment

Recently, environmental awareness has been the key driver for using renewable materials that have low environmental impact and fulfill constructional requirements, such as timber. Despite the advantages of wood as a building material, it has a lower subjective quality of sound insulation. To fulfill the sound insulation requirements, it is, therefore, unavoidable to complement based-wooden assemblies with additional element(s). However, identifying the acoustic performance is costly and time-consuming. Therefore, developing an accurate prediction tool is vital. Since wood-based structures have been developed to consider the environmental aspects, the environmental performance of buildings should be integrated into the acoustic design. This paper aims to develop an acoustic design methodology for wooden structures using artificial neural network approach by integration of life cycle assessment (LCA). Various Lab-based measurements are used to develop the acoustic prediction tool. Then, a LCA study is conducted on the test assemblies. This paper initially found that wooded assemblies generally increase the environmental impacts to achieve better acoustic insulation. Moreover, different assemblies can meet the sound insulation requirements. Therefore, designers should cognize of environmental and acoustic trade-off by selecting assemblies that consider both aspects.