Global Environmental Performance Research Articles

Life Cycle Assessment of a Commercially Available Organic Rankine Cycle Unit Coupled with a Biomass Boiler

Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbogenerators are a well-established technology to recover from medium to ultra-low grade heat and generate electricity, or heat and work as cogenerative units. High firmness, good reliability and acceptable efficiency guarantee to ORCs a large range of applications: from waste heat recovery of industrial processes to the enhancement of heat generated by renewable resources like biomass, solar or geothermal. ORC unit coupled with biomass boiler is one of the most adopted arrangements. However, despite biomass renewability, it is mandatory to evaluate the environmental impact of systems composed by boilers and ORCs taking into account the entire life cycle. To this purpose, the authors perform a life cycle assessment of a commercially available 150 kW cogenerative ORC unit coupled with a biomass boiler to assess the global environmental performance. The system is modelled in SimaPro using different approaches. Results show that the most impacting processes in terms of CO2 equivalent emissions are the ones related to biomass production and organic fluid leakages with 71% and 19% of the total. Therefore, being fluid release in the environment high impacting, a comparison among three fluids is also performed. Analysis shows that adopting a hydrofluoroolefin fluid with a low global warming potential instead of the hydrocarbon fluid as already used in the cycle guarantees a significant improvement of the environmental performance.

A Cross-national Study of Environmental Performance and Culture: Implications of the Findings and Strategies

The study investigates the impact of culture on environmental performance across 78 countries. The article explores the possible relationship with two datasets of international indices: (a) the six dimensional index of national culture proposed by Hofstede and (b) the environmental performance index (EPI) published by Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy. It is widely established that population and economic development of a country play significant role in the improvement of environmental performance. In our study, we examine the impact of population growth rate and per-capita gross domestic product (GDP) on environmental performance using structure equation modelling. The results show that environmental performance is significantly influenced by the culture of the country. Per-capita GDP and population growth rate have a positive and negative relationships on the environmental performance. By measuring the cultural dimensions and their impact on global environmental performance, countries could identify the favouring cultural dimensions and design appropriate strategy to optimize the environmental performance. The article proposes the practical implication of results and strategies to improve environmental performance. The study is among the first in studying the cultural dynamics on environment and identify its favourable and adverse relationships for an optimum strategy.

Production intensity in dairy farming and its relationship with farm environmental performance: Empirical evidence from the Swiss alpine area

In the last two decades, agricultural production intensity has become a subject of growing attention in the field of agricultural sustainability. Based on an empirical application for Swiss mountain dairy farming, the goal of our research was to better understand the relationship between agricultural production intensity, defined as the biophysical agricultural production per unit of land use area, and farm environmental performance. We thereby revisited the definition of production intensity and, more precisely, of the spatial system boundaries of its denominator. For that purpose, we analyzed the relationship between the “classical” production intensity indicator accounting only for the on-farm land use area and a cradle-to-farm gate intensity indicator encompassing off- and on-farm land use area. In a subsequent step, we investigated the relationship between farm environmental performance and the two production intensity indicator types. The analysis relied on the cradle-to-farm gate Life Cycle Assessments of 56 farm observations. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed a very strong positive correlation between on-farm and cradle-to-farm gate production intensity. The definition of production intensity did not play a crucial role in the observed relationship between production intensity and farm environmental performance. Production intensity was positively correlated with farm global environmental performance. Conversely, it was negatively correlated with both on-farm local environmental performance and cradle-to-farm gate aggregate local environmental performance. By revealing this environmental trade-off associated with agricultural intensification, our findings highlight the challenging nature of achieving sustainable intensification simultaneously on the global and local ecosystem scales.

Factors Affecting Global versus Local Environmental and Economic Performance of Dairying: A Case Study of Swiss Mountain Farms

Improving the sustainability of the dairy food chain requires a simultaneous improvement in global and local environmental performance, as well as in the economic performance of dairy farms. We investigated the effect of different structural, farm management, socio-demographic, technological and natural-environment-related factors on the economic and environmental performance of dairying. Our analysis relied on a case study of 56 Swiss alpine dairy farm observations, for which cradle-to-farm gate life cycle assessments and farm accountancy data were combined. The data refer to the years 2006 to 2008. The effect of the selected factors on farms’ economic and environmental performance was analysed by means of non-parametric statistical approaches. The results revealed the existence of some factors presenting synergies and several factors showing trade-offs in the enhancement of farm global environmental, local environmental and economic performance. More generally, the promotion of farm global environmental performance and farm economic performance was shown to be synergetic whereas the enhancement of farm global and local environmental performance turned out to be mostly antinomic. However, some factors, namely organic farming, higher agricultural education, silage-free milk production, and also, to a weaker extent, full-time farming, larger farm size and lower intensity of cattle concentrates use, showed a potential to bring simultaneous improvements in the global and local environmental performance as well as the economic performance of dairy farming. Policy-makers should be aware of the complexity of the joint improvement of farm economic and environmental performance and only promote factors capable of synergistically enhancing the environmental and economic performance of dairy farming.

Sustainable Global Sourcing: A Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis

Sustainable Global Sourcing (SGS) is a rapidly emerging field with a geometric growth that is evidenced by the number of articles published within this field. The aim of this paper is to develop a systematic study quantitatively depicting the knowledge structure of the SGS field. A bibliometric analysis in conjunction with citation analysis and co-citation analysis is adopted to evaluate a total of 287 journal articles identified from systematic selection of influential work. A further content analysis is performed to obtain the detailed insights on the results of bibliometric analysis. Findings show five research clusters that constitute the SGS field, i.e., (i) Global Sourcing (GS) practice and environmental performance; (ii) Social sustainability/ethical sourcing practice in GS; (iii) Environmental evaluation criteria and certification; (iv) Fuzzy modelling of environmental practice in GS; (v) Effects of environmental and social sustainability practice on economic performance. On this basis, eight research directions are outlined for future research. This study provides an innovative method for systematic literature review work and robust indications for future investigations in the SGS field.

Convergence in global environmental performance: assessing heterogeneity

This paper examines convergence in environmental/carbon performance by constructing a measure based on production theory, where production processes explicitly result in the production of two outputs; a good output (GDP) and a bad output (CO2). We use the derived measure to test the β-convergence hypothesis for a panel of 94 countries. The results reveal evidence in support of β-convergence in environmental, or carbon performance for the entire (global) sample and each of the sub-samples. The evidence points to a slower convergence rate for the high-income countries relative to low-income countries. Moreover, the rate of convergence does not vary with capital in the global sample, but does vary in the high-income sample, possibly reflecting differences in abatement cost induced by differences in the stringency of environmental regulation and enforcement. Additionally, we find evidence of a negative relation between environmental performance and fossil fuel share, both at the global level as well as at the middle and high sub-samples, which tend to vary with capital intensity. As such, the results conform to the results from studies on the dynamics of per capita emissions.

Can National Culture Affect the Implementation of Common Sustainable Policies? A European Response

Businesses and researchers are increasingly seeking to understand the drivers of sustainability. Several recent studies have highlighted the effects of cultural factors when assessing environmental practices. While there is considerable research on the topic, we aim to provide additional evidence on the effects of cultural factors on environmental performance across countries. We propose that cultural factors affect sustainability strategies, although they depend on specific environmental issues. Little attention has been paid to the individual performance indicators forming the well-known global Environmental Performance Indicator (EPI) score when evaluating environmental performance. We use those individual indicators to identify specific environmental country-strategies depending on cultural and economic factors. The empirical analysis uses a sample of 31 European countries belonging to the European Environmental Agency, as they present common and aligned environmental strategies. The results show that despite common European objectives, country-specific environmental policies differ depending on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. We also confirm that economic and innovation factors play an important role in the implementation of countries’ environmental policies in areas such as Ecosystem Vitality, Environmental Health, and water and sanitation.

A novel approach for global environmental performance evaluation of electric batteries for hybrid vehicles

The automotive product is increasingly restricted by environmental regulations, including reducing emissions of CO2 and pollutants in exhaust pipes of vehicles. One solution implemented in the automotive industry are plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) that use an electric traction battery. To help vehicle manufacturers in their choice of traction battery from an environmental point of view, a simulation method of environmental impacts generated by the use phase is proposed in this paper. This method takes into account the possible usages of the vehicle and potential developments of electric mix, with the formulation of a constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) solved using constraint programming (CP) techniques. The sensitivity of five parameters is investigated: the electricity mix used to charge the battery, the battery mass, electric consumptions, the autonomy in “all-electric mode”, and the share of total travel in “all-electric mode”. Power grid is the most differentiating parameter for global warming and PHEV generates less impact if less used in “all-electric mode” on a high carbon intensity power grid. Lastly, CSP acausal modeling makes it possible to process different simulations with the same model.

A new indicator to estimate the efficiency of water and energy use in agro-industries

In the search of sustainable practices in agro-food industry, it is compulsory to carry out the adequate assessment and further comparison of their resource consumptions. In this respect, environmental evaluations in industry often just focus on water or energy consumption, avoiding integrated indicators to measure the overall efficiency and environmental sustainability of processes. In this paper, the authors being aware of this lack of integrated indicators in the agro-food sector, have presented a new indicator, the Water and Energy Use Indicator (WEUI). It is operational, easy to interpret and communicate. Its main goal is to evaluate and further assess the global environmental performance of agro-industrial subsectors, and compare the overall efficiency of different industries. Additionally, the indicator allows to check if some proposed measures in an industry, apart from reducing their energy, water and resource consumption, leads to contribute or not to a higher level of environmental sustainability. Four complementary methodologies were adequately integrated into that single indicator: Water Footprint, Water Pinch, Life Cycle Assessment, and Exergy Analysis. Each methodology ranks the performance of a given industry with an index from 1 to 7 by comparing its operational parameters with the reference values within the corresponding agro-food subsector. The final indicator of the WEUI is then the weighted value from those indexes, and it is also ranked from 1 to 7, such as other European labels. Three case studies corresponding to diverse subsectors in the agro-food sector in Aragón (Spain) were tested, and one of these case studies (ready to eat meals) is presented here. Results show an index level of 5 (medium-high) for the WEUI at its present operation. Proposed improvement measures in the industry lead to a slight upgrade in the overall process of efficiency, due mainly to the water savings up to level 6 (high). An on-line tool for an easy calculation of the WEUI has been implemented. Up to now, 9 agro-food subsectors have been included in the tool, which is also adapted to available information in the companies.

Local versus Global Environmental Performance of Dairying and Their Link to Economic Performance: A Case Study of Swiss Mountain Farms

Complying with the carrying capacity of local and global ecosystems is a prerequisite to ensure environmental sustainability. Based on the example of Swiss mountain dairy farms, the goal of our research was firstly to investigate the relationship between farm global and local environmental performance. Secondly, we aimed to analyse the relationship between farm environmental and economic performance. The analysis relied on a sample of 56 Swiss alpine dairy farms. For each farm, the cradle-to-farm-gate life cycle assessment was calculated, and the quantified environmental impacts were decomposed into their on- and off-farm parts. We measured global environmental performance as the digestible energy produced by the farm per unit of global environmental impact generated from cradle-to-farm-gate. We assessed local environmental performance by dividing farm-usable agricultural area by on-farm environmental impact generation. Farm economic performance was measured by work income per family work unit, return on equity and output/input ratio. Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed no significant relationship, trade-offs or synergies between global and local environmental performance indicators. Interestingly, trade-offs were observed far more frequently than synergies. Furthermore, we found synergies between global environmental and economic performance and mostly no significant relationship between local environmental and economic performance. The observed trade-offs between global and local environmental performance mean that, for several environmental issues, any improvement in global environmental performance will result in deterioration of local environmental performance and vice versa. This finding calls for systematic consideration of both dimensions when carrying out farm environmental performance assessments.

Comparing a territorial-based and a consumption-based approach to assess the local and global environmental performance of cities

In the framework of pressing local and global environmental challenges it is essential to understand that cities are complex systems dependent on and linked to the rest of the world through global supply chains that embody an array of environmental flows. Cities are thus a complex articulation that intertwine local and global challenges which rely at their extended hinterland for their resource use and pollution emission. To assess the environmental sustainability of an urban area in a comprehensive manner, it is not only necessary to measure its local and direct environmental performance but also to understand and take into account its global and indirect environmental counterparts. This paper presents a comparative analysis of a territorial-based and a consumption-based approach to estimate both direct and embodied resource use and pollution flows for the case of Brussels Capital Region (Belgium). The territorial-based approach is based on local energy, water and material consumption measured data as well as measured data on waste generation and pollution emissions. The estimation of indirect resource use and pollution emissions (or consumption-based approach) is based on the regional IO-tables of the city-region of Brussels extended with multi-region input-output tables, taking into account the global flows of consumption. The comparison of these two approaches is particularly relevant in the case of cities that have limited productive activities and limited or no extraction of materials as the impact on the hinterland is often underestimated or neglected by local (environmental) policies which are only based on territorial-based figures. The results show that the indirect primary energy use, GHG emissions and material use estimated by the consumption-based approach is more than three times higher than local measures indicate. The embodied water use, estimated via IOA, was over 40 times higher than the local water consumption. These results show that territorial-based approach using local data underestimate the resource needs and pollution emissions of a city and can therefore be insufficient or even be misguiding. By mapping the origin of embodied flows it is in fact possible to illustrate the open character of an urban economy and its dependence on the global hinterland. Finally, this paper discusses the possibility and relevance to combine these two approaches to create a hybrid framework that measures the full environmental performance of cities both accurately and comprehensively.

Implementing farm-level environmental sustainability in environmental performance indicators: A combined global-local approach

As major generators of environmental impacts, farms play a crucial role in enhancing the environmental sustainability of food-supply chains. However, appropriately assessing farm environmental performance poses a challenge; a plethora of different indicators have been used for this purpose, sometimes in the absence of conceptual considerations. This paper develops a broadly implementable framework for defining and measuring farm environmental performance which complies with the environmental sustainability concept viewed from an ecological perspective. After providing a critical review of existing indicators in the literature for measuring farm environmental performance and identifying their strengths and above all their weaknesses, it proceeds to develop ideas on how to implement the environmental sustainability concept at farm level. Starting at the macro level, these ideas are based on the central concept of ecosystem carrying capacity (constraints) referring to biophysical threshold thinking. The implementation of this concept at farm level results in the framework that we propose for measuring farm environmental performance. Environmental sustainability requires compliance with the carrying-capacity constraints imposed by the natural ecosystem within which a farm operates. Compliance with carrying capacity must occur at both local and global ecosystem levels, requiring a distinction between local and global farm environmental performance. The global environmental performance of a farm is defined as its relative contribution to compliance with the carrying capacity of the global ecosystem, and is measured by means of an indicator of environmental intensity over the entire production chain up to the farm gate. The local carrying-capacity constraint can be understood as the maximum environmental impact per unit of farmland area that can be sustained by the local ecosystem. Local environmental performance is therefore measured by means of an area-based indicator. Whereas all environmental issues must be considered at a global level, for some of them local level consideration is also required. Implementing separate local and global environmental performance indicators, as opposed to using only global or local indicators without distinguishing between them in conceptual terms, provides a more appropriate assessment of the environmental performance of farms, as well as a better basis for comparison between farms. Furthermore, it eliminates the risk of shifting environmental problems from the local to the global scale or vice-versa. The framework highlights the complexity of the environmental sustainability concept, which cannot be reduced to a single “one size fits all” indicator.

Global resilience to climate change: Examining global economic and environmental performance resulting from a global carbon dioxide market

In this study, we investigated global economic and environmental resilience in the presence of climate change. In particular, we examine the possibility of mitigating carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions without stressing standards of living. Here, we set up a cross-country CO2 market constrained by a quota, where CO2 is optimally re-allocated based on relative shadow prices of the pollutant. The objective is to stabilize global emissions without hindering global incomes and in the process achieve a single CO2 price. We introduce a re-allocation model that takes into account each country’s underlying polluting technology. The model solutions are then used to investigate whether a single, global price for CO2 is attainable. Our results suggest that global CO2 emissions could stabilize without stressing global incomes, with a global CO2 market achieving equilibrium. With a CO2 market, countries would then have the incentive to consider adopting, improving, or investing in additional abatement technologies to move beyond current capabilities, while continuing to increase standards of living.

Cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of global manganese alloy production

Manganese is a metal used extensively in everyday life, particularly in structural steel. Despite the importance of manganese as an essential alloying element in steel and stainless steel, the environmental profile of manganese alloys lacked globally representative, primary industry data. The International Manganese Institute (IMnI) and Hatch completed the first global life cycle assessment (LCA) of manganese alloy production, providing environmental benchmarks and a firm foundation of accurate data with which to inform other industry-led initiatives. The study compiled primary data from 16 ore and alloy producers worldwide, covering 18 % of global ore production and 8 % of global alloy production for 2010. This peer-reviewed, ISO 14040 compliant LCA covers the cradle-to-gate life cycles of silicomanganese, ferromanganese, and refined ferromanganese. The study provides a comprehensive picture of global environmental performance, quantifying energy consumption, global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP), primary water use, and primary waste generation. A novel model architecture was devised to generate process, site, and cradle-to-gate LCAs for single and multiple sites simultaneously, extracting greater value from the LCA process by facilitating environmental and operational benchmarking within the industry. The results of the study show that total GWP, AP, and POCP for 1 kg of average manganese alloy was 6.0 kg CO2e, 45 g SO2e, and 3 g C2H4e, respectively. Electricity demand and coal and coke consumption during smelting are the dominant operating parameters contributing to environmental performance. On-site air emission measures (GWP, POCP, NOX, and particulate matter (PM)) contributed 25 to 35 % of total life cycle emissions. Overburden and waste rock were the most significant primary solid waste flows by mass. The study provides a resource for improvement at the global industry and site scales by establishing benchmarks, identifying hotspots, and quantifying the benefits of efficiency savings through process optimization. This LCA provides accurate primary data to improve steel and stainless steel product LCAs and communicate the environmental performance of the industry in quantitative terms. It facilitates dialogue between manganese producers and consumers through a shared understanding of the environmental profile of the industry. Through leveraging the study to identify hotspots within the manganese supply chain, producers can work both independently and collectively towards improving the environmental and economic performance of manganese alloys.

A Procedure to Define the Best Design Intervention Strategy on a Product for a Sustainable Behavior of the User

This paper presents a procedure that can be used to determine what kind of design intervention strategies can be implemented by designers for the improvement of the global environmental performance during the use phase of a product, regarding consumers’ behaviors.Four design intervention strategies have to be tested on espresso coffee machine: written information, eco-feedback, objective to reach and persuasive technology. Energy and water consumption during use phase of 36 regular espresso coffee machine users will be measured during the experimentation. At this stage, a first design strategy has been tested and environmental benefits have been highlighted thanks to LCA analyzes. Users’ variables such as environmental knowledge, attitude, habits, are also measured and a statistical analysis will be conducted for the validation of the model of relationship proposed.

What progress have we made since Rio? Results from the 2012 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and Pilot Trend EPI

This paper demonstrates how quantitative indicators and indices of environmental performance help gauge progress toward global policy goals identified as priorities two decades ago. This study uses the most recent performance and trend data from the 2012 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and Trend EPI to answer two main questions: What progress has been made on the environmental issues identified by high-level leaders at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 and subsequently in the Millennium Development Goal 7 (MDG7)? What are some of the factors that can help to explain differences in performance on these issues? To answer these questions, this paper introduces pared-down versions of the 2012 EPI and Trend EPI indices to evaluate performance and progress over the last decade on the five policy categories related to objectives specified in MDG7: Water (Effects on Human Health), Biodiversity and Habitat, Forestry, Fisheries, and Climate Change and Energy. The results presented in this paper demonstrate that progress on the MDG7 environmental goals is uneven – by country, region, and issue. While income, social development, and institutional factors explain some of these differences, we suggest that variable global environmental performance can partly be attributed to challenges within the processes and institutions of the MDGs.

On the link between economic and environmental performance of Swiss dairy farms of the alpine area

Promoting the economic and environmental performance of Swiss farms is a major objective of Swiss agricultural policy. In the present paper, we investigate the relationship between the economic and global environmental performance of the Swiss dairy farms in the alpine area. The analysis relies on a sample of 56 dairy farms from the Farm Accountancy Data Network, for which highly precise and comprehensive Life Cycle Assessments have been carried out. The work income per family work unit is used as indicator of the economic performance of a farm. The so-called global environmental performance of a farm is, for its part, measured by means of an eco-efficiency indicator for each environmental impact considered (demand for non-renewable energy resources, eutrophication potential, aquatic ecotoxicity potential, human toxicity potential and land use) and of an aggregate eco-efficiency indicator assessed using a Data Envelopment Analysis-based approach. The relationship between economic and global environmental performance is assessed by means of non-parametric Spearman’s rank correlation analysis. The results of the analysis reveal the existence of a positive relationship between economic and global environmental performance. This positive relationship exists for all environmental issues considered and thus also for the aggregate eco-efficiency indicator. Its strength, however, substantially varies from one issue to another. This study provides the evidence that there is no trade-off between economic and global environmental farm performance. When they improve their economic performance, farms also tend to improve their global environmental performance and vice versa. This finding is of central relevance for policy-makers as it should contribute to improving the acceptance among farmers of the environmental objectives of Swiss agricultural policy in terms of an increase in environmental resource use productivity. In this sense this work provides valuable insights into the sustainable performance of the Swiss dairy sector in the alpine area.

Life Cycle Assessment of fresh hake fillets captured by the Galician fleet in the Northern Stock

European hake ( Merluccius merluccius L.), one of the main products in the Spanish diet, represents the highest economic income for Galician fishing fleets. In this study, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was used to assess the environmental impacts related to the extraction, processing and consumption of European hake captured by Galician trawlers and long liners in the Northern Stock. Furthermore, biological related impact categories, such as by-catch and discards were also considered in the analysis. Results show considerably lower environmental impacts for European hake fresh fillets arriving from long lining vessels, due mainly to the high energy demand of the analyzed trawlers. In this sense, the main part of the impact for hake arriving from both fishing fleets was attributable to marine diesel-linked activities. Post-fishing activities, such as land transport or electricity consumption, were also highlighted as important contributors within their subsystems. Global environmental performance of the system can only be reduced through fuel consumption minimization. However, impact minimization in the fresh hake post-harvesting activities may offer attractive cost reductions for retailers, wholesalers and consumers.

The roles of ISO 14001, research institutions and professional organisations in environmental performance

Firms continue to face many challenges with managing global supply chain operations and environmental performance. This paper presents a conceptual relationship framework that associates government, enterprises, industry standards, professional organisations, research institutions and individuals that operate and influence environmental performance. Industry case studies and standards define the various roles and relationships of these major entities in environmental performance and demonstrate the impact that different constituent interactions have on organisations and the environment. This paper aims to advance a greater understanding of environmental programmes, standards and performance through consideration of complex relationships and strategic motives of agents and constituents that interact within these systems. This study illustrates several interactions of various entities related to environmental performance and provides a framework for further research.

How to identify the most promising areas of environmental improvement at the early stages of the design process?

This article corresponds to a lack of methodological supports in the literature which would enable design teams to organise various areas of improvement/innovation hierarchically as early as possible in the design stage. Such methodological supports would enable the team to identify the improvements or innovations which potentially present the highest rate of environmental improvement. The proposed solution consists of setting up a product model comprising the main design parameters relating to environmental performance. A design of experiments sheds light on the contribution of each parameter to the global environmental performance (evaluated in this instance by the end-score of the EI99 method). Each experimental level also contains a level of technico-economic feasibility (and a level of attractiveness for the user. The deliverable of this tool constitutes the evaluation of the rate of environmental improvement for each area of improvement. This is supplemented by its level of technico-economic feasibility and level of user attractiveness. With this information, the design team is better able to make choices corresponding to what seems most feasible for the company, most acceptable for the user and best for the environment.