Anthony Halog

Social life cycle assessment of palm oil biodiesel: a case study in Jambi Province of Indonesia

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the social implications of palm oil biodiesel via a case study using a life cycle assessment framework.MethodsThe case study was conducted in Jambi Province of Indonesia and involved several stakeholders, such as value chain actors, employees, local community members, government, and nongovernmental organization representatives related in palm oil industry. The assessment was carried out using social criteria developed by adopting the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry/United Nations Environment Programme Code of Practice, supplemented by an expert survey, and supported by literature review. Stakeholders’ perspectives were evaluated by determining the gaps between expected and perceived quality of each social criterion, which are gauged using seven-point Likert scale.Results and discussionTwenty-four social criteria were developed and aggregated into five social impact categories: human rights, working condition, cultural heritage, social–economic repercussion, and governance. These criteria have been weighted, useful for further application in multicriteria decision analysis. The results of the stakeholders’ survey reveal the critical social hotspots, which are the issues within the impact categories of working conditions and cultural heritage.ConclusionsIn order to achieve the social equitability of palm oil biodiesel, which is an important pillar to sustainability, efforts must be put to address these social hotspots through actions in various policy level.

Integrated Economic Equilibrium and Life Cycle Assessment Modeling for Policy-based Consequential LCA

Consequential life cycle assessment (CLCA) has emerged as a tool for estimating environmental impacts of changes in product systems that go beyond physical relationships accounted for in attributional LCA (ALCA). This study builds on recent efforts to use more complex economic models for policy‐based CLCA. A partial market equilibrium (PME) model, called the U.S. Forest Products Module (USFPM), is combined with LCA to analyze an energy demand scenario in which wood use increases 400 million cubic meters in the United States for ethanol production. Several types of indirect economic and environmental impacts are identified and estimated using USFPM‐LCA. A key finding is that if wood use for biofuels increases to high levels and mill residue is used for biofuels and replaced by natural gas for heat and power in forest products mills, then the increased greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas could offset reductions obtained by substituting biofuels for gasoline. Such high levels of biofuel demand, however, appear to have relatively low environmental impacts across related forest product sectors.

A meta‐analytic review of life cycle assessment and flow analyses studies of palm oil biodiesel

This work reviews and performs a meta-analysis of the recent life cycle assessment and flow analyses studies palm oil biodiesel. The best available data and information are extracted, summarized, and discussed. Most studies found palm oil biodiesel would produce positive energy balance with an energy ratio between 2.27 and 4.81, and with a net energy production of 112 GJ ha(-1) y(-1). With the exception of a few studies, most conclude that palm oil biodiesel is a net emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG). The origin of oil palm plantation (planted area) is the foremost determinant of GHG emissions and C payback time (CPBT). Converting peatland forest results in GHG emissions up to 60 tons CO(2) equivalent (eq) ha(-1) y(-1) leading to 420 years of CPBT. In contrast, converting degraded land or grassland for plantation can positively offset the system to become a net sequester of 5 tons CO(2) eq ha(-1) y(-1). Few studies have discussed cradle-to-grave environmental impacts such as acidification, eutrophication, toxicity, and biodiversity, which open opportunity for further studies.

Towards a Circular Economy in Australian Agri-food Industry: An Application of Input-Output Oriented Approaches for Analyzing Resource Efficiency and Competitiveness Potential

The food industry in Australia (agriculture and manufacturing) plays a fundamental role in contributing to socioeconomic sectors nationally. However, alongside the benefits, the industry also produces environmental burdens associated with the production of food. Sectorally, agriculture is the largest consumer of water. Additionally, land degradation, greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and waste generation are considered the main environmental impacts caused by the industry. The research project aims to evaluate the eco-efficiency performance of various subsectors in the Australian agri-food systems through the use of input-output–oriented approaches of data envelopment analysis and material flow analysis. This helps in establishing environmental and economic indicators for the industry. The results have shown inefficiencies during the life cycle of food production in Australia. Following the principles of industrial ecology, the study recommends the implementation of sustainable processes to increase efficiency, diminish undesirable outputs, and decrease the use of nonrenewable inputs within the production cycle. Broadly, the research outcomes are useful to inform decision makers about the advantages of moving from a traditional linear system to a circular production system, where a sustainable and efficient circular economy could be created in the Australian food industry.

Sustainability from a Chinese cultural perspective: the implications of harmonious development in environmental management

AbstractSustainable development has broad consensus in environmental science and policy discourse, but its implications differ in specific cultural contexts. This article articulates sustainable development from a Chinese cultural perspective by tracing ideas from Chinese traditional culture and exploring China’s concept of harmonious development with emphasis on environmental management. Ideas that resemble sustainable development are not new to Chinese culture, but have roots in ancient Chinese thoughts, which in turn influence current governance and policies. Notably, Chinese traditional philosophies such as Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, and Yin–Yang contain philosophies fundamental to sustainable development. As a distinct local discourse, such concepts were well interpreted and understood in the ancient meaning of harmony, giving China unique sustainability perspectives with institutional implications for policies of harmonious development and environmental management. Currently, China is driven to create a new national identity of harmonious development that involves Chinese traditional philosophies and values in its modern administration. The slogans “harmonious society” and “Chinese dream” reflect this new way of responding to the world with the aspiration to achieve cleaner growth, personal prosperity, and social stability. The Chinese and Western roots of sustainable development are conceptually, ideologically, and historically different, and this paper articulates how the convergence of the two underlies contemporary international debates.

The Need for Integrated Life Cycle Sustainability Analysis of Biofuel Supply Chains

Climate change has been widely investigated by the scientific community, and its potential impacts are expected to affect the world’s economy, ecosystem services, and societal struc‐ tures within a few decades. To reduce the undesirable consequences of climate change, adaptation and mitigation technologies and policies have to be implemented. Analyzing technological advances to address sustainable development, through integrated systems lev‐ el methods and approaches, is needed to predict future vulnerability to climate change and continued ecosystem deterioration [1-4]. The incorporation of sustainability notion into all sub-systems of our global society has come into full swing and must be continued to be pur‐ sued by any entity, both in private as well as public sectors. However, these challenges re‐ quire integrative and transdisciplinary computational tools and methods to aid in embedding sustainability goals into corporate and government policy decision making processes [5-8]. United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has been reshap‐ ing its strategies and programs in conjunction with incorporating the triple dimensions of sustainability [9].

Promoting life cycle thinking for sustainability in the mining sector of the Philippines

PurposeThis paper aims to promote life cycle thinking for the mining sector in the Philippines in enhancing the interventions intended for mining as a catalyst of sustainable development in the country. The environmental ills of mining hinder the sector’s acceptability as a catalyst, which is detrimental to its sustainability at the same time.MethodsPrevious works on mining impacts and life cycle thinking and assessment in the country had been reviewed to glean insights on integrating life cycle thinking in mining. Why and how such thinking and approach should be accounted for in mining is examined from these works to figure out the strategies through which mining is helped in mitigating its environmental ills.Results and discussionLife cycle thinking helps establish a logical approach in analysing issues associated with mining processes and products. It is of great relevance in preparing for contingencies for the adverse environmental outcomes that arise at any point of mining’s life cycle (exploration to mine closure) and the mining products’ life cycles (extraction to recycling or to accumulation). With its associated assessment procedures, life cycle thinking provides a logical system in obtaining scientific evidence for forward planning particularly on the aspect of sustainable mitigation of mining’s environmental outcomes.ConclusionsIt is apt that life cycle thinking be seriously accounted for in mining to improve the current undertakings of troubleshooting and addressing the adverse environmental outcomes of mining. Important insights from it facilitate the identification of sustainable mitigation strategies and who could take the lead actions, such as in developing business linkages and new markets to capitalize on the wastes and emissions from mining operations. The insights can greatly help the mining sector build its capability to come in harmony with people and nature, and work as a catalyst of sustainable development in the country.

A systems thinking approach for enhancing adaptive capacity in small- and medium-sized enterprises: causal mapping of factors influencing environmental adaptation in Vietnam’s textile and garment industry

This paper aims to develop a conceptual model for enhancing SMEs’ adaptive capacity in response to environmental requirements in Vietnam. We apply a systems thinking approach and suggest that interventions at three levels: personal development, organizational development, and institutional development should be made. Results from 46 interviews with government officials, experts from non-government organizations, and enterprise managers are used for interventions modelling. We conclude that the sector needs to undertake profound changes, including the alteration of visions, missions, goals, and objectives, the changes in organizational culture, the creation of green operations and products, and the institutionalization of environmental initiatives at all levels.

Exploring the potential of participatory systems thinking techniques in progressing SLCA

PurposeThere are a range of systems thinking-based methods well established for participatory actions that allow for greater integration of various mental models and understanding of systems that should be considered in advancing engagement methods in SLCA. This paper highlights the potential application of participatory modelling approaches based in systems thinking theory as a potential entry point in stakeholder inclusion and understanding impact pathways and system behaviour in social life cycle assessment (SLCA).MethodsWe discuss the application of various systems thinking methodologies to SLCA, along with pertinent examples from literature, and develop a framework that integrates both methodologies.Results and discussionHere we propose three distinct benefits of group modelling approaches; (1) procedural benefits through the ability to be inclusive of mental models, various perspectives and enhance stakeholder conceptualisation of a system; and the ability to combine both (2) qualitative and (3) quantitative analysis techniques under a cohesive framework. We propose the specific merits of combining the use of agent-based (AB) and system dynamic (SD) modelling in SLCA due to the emphasis upon consumer decisions and behaviour and the inherently dynamic non-linear cause-effect chains that are common in social systems.ConclusionsWe conclude that many facets of participatory modelling techniques can align with SLCA across the methodology, particularly if enhanced consideration of stakeholders and their various values is desired. We recommend the further development and inclusion of participatory systems thinking-based frameworks to advance the SLCA methodology with specific reference to the ability to enhance interpretation through the analysis of feedbacks that may not be addressed in current approaches.

Study of the abatement options available to reduce carbon emissions from Australian international flights

ABSTRACT In 2012, 14 airlines emitted a combined total of 13.1 Mt of CO2 while flying 72% of the international passengers into and out of Australia. In the Asia-Pacific region, passengers and cargo traffic are predicted to grow at 6% and 5% per annum respectively from 2013 to 2033. The International Air Transport Association has committed to an average fuel efficiency improvement of 1.5% from 2009 to 2020, carbon-neutral growth from 2020, and 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. To develop policies for reducing aircraft emissions, policy makers need to consider the effectiveness of abatement options used to curb the growth in emissions. In this study, five scenarios were developed to evaluate abatement options that have been or will be implemented by airlines flying on Australian international routes. Analysis reveals that by acquiring more efficient aircraft and increasing the average number of passengers per flight by 10%, 15.6 Mt and 29.2 Mt of CO2 would likely be emitted in 2020 and 2033 respectively, with CO2 emissions increasing at 6.1% per annum and CO2 efficiency dropping at 1.6% per annum. To achieve carbon-neutral growth after 2020, additional abatement options will be required to reduce CO2 emissions by a further 13.6 Mt (i.e., 46.6%) in 2033.