Vanessa Bach

Water Accounting and Vulnerability Evaluation (WAVE): Considering Atmospheric Evaporation Recycling and the Risk of Freshwater Depletion in Water Footprinting

Aiming to enhance the analysis of water consumption and resulting consequences along the supply chain of products, the water accounting and vulnerability evaluation (WAVE) model is introduced. On the accounting level, atmospheric evaporation recycling within drainage basins is considered for the first time, which can reduce water consumption volumes by up to 32%. Rather than predicting impacts, WAVE analyzes the vulnerability of basins to freshwater depletion. Based on local blue water scarcity, the water depletion index (WDI) denotes the risk that water consumption can lead to depletion of freshwater resources. Water scarcity is determined by relating annual water consumption to availability in more than 11,000 basins. Additionally, WDI accounts for the presence of lakes and aquifers which have been neglected in water scarcity assessments so far. By setting WDI to the highest value in (semi)arid basins, absolute freshwater shortage is taken into account in addition to relative scarcity. This avoids mathematical artifacts of previous indicators which turn zero in deserts if consumption is zero. As illustrated in a case study of biofuels, WAVE can help to interpret volumetric water footprint figures and, thus, promotes a sustainable use of global freshwater resources.

The economic resource scarcity potential (ESP) for evaluating resource use based on life cycle assessment

PurposeIn life cycle assessment (LCA), resource availability is currently evaluated by means of models based on depletion time, surplus energy, etc. Economic aspects influencing the security of supply and affecting availability of resources for human use are neglected. The aim of this work is the development of a new model for the assessment of resource provision capability from an economic angle, complementing existing LCA models. The inclusion of criteria affecting the economic system enables an identification of potential supply risks associated with resource use. In step with actual practice, such an assessment provides added value compared to conventional (environmental) resource assessment within LCA. Analysis of resource availability including economic information is of major importance to sustain industrial production.MethodsNew impact categories and characterization models are developed for the assessment of economic resource availability based on existing LCA methodology and terminology. A single score result can be calculated providing information about the economic resource scarcity potential (ESP) of different resources. Based on a life cycle perspective, the supply risk associated with resource use can be assessed, and bottlenecks within the supply chain can be identified. The analysis can be conducted in connection with existing LCA procedures and in line with current resource assessment practice and facilitates easy implementation on an organizational level.Results and discussionA portfolio of 17 metals is assessed based on different impact categories. Different impact factors are calculated, enabling identification of high-risk metals. Furthermore, a comparison of ESP and abiotic depletion potential (ADP) is conducted. Availability of resources differs significantly when economic aspects are taken into account in addition to geologic availability. Resources assumed uncritical based on ADP results, such as rare earths, turn out to be associated with high supply risks.ConclusionsThe model developed in this work allows for a more realistic assessment of resource availability beyond geologic finiteness. The new impact categories provide organizations with a practical measure to identify supply risks associated with resources. The assessment delivers a basis for developing appropriate mitigation measures and for increasing resilience towards supply disruptions. By including an economic dimension into resource availability assessment, a contribution towards life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) is achieved.

Challenges in Life Cycle Assessment: An Overview of Current Gaps and Research Needs

This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of current gaps of and challenges for LCA structured into inventory, impact assessment, generic and evolving aspects. A total of 34 gaps and challenges were identified. These include challenges like ‘allocation’, ‘uncertainty’ or ‘biodiversity’, as well as issues like ‘littering’, ‘animal well-being’ or ‘positive impacts’ which are not covered as often in the existing LCA literature. Each of these gaps is described by a high-level overview of the topic and its relevance to LCA, and the state of the art in terms of literature and potential solutions, if any, is presented.

LCA Perspectives for Resource Efficiency Assessment

Efficient use and consumption of natural resources is an important strategy in sustainable development. This chapter discusses available methods and indicators to assess “resource efficiency” beyond the assessment of the quantities of materials used and toward available indicators in life cycle assessment (LCA). According to the classical definition in LCA, natural resources encompass input-oriented environmental interventions (e.g., extraction of abiotic resources, such as oil, ore deposits, fossil, and fresh surface water, as well as biotic resources such as fish and trees). LCA and existing life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods are seen as a good basis for measuring resource efficiency. Despite several models to assess resource use and depletion within LCA, important challenges remain. Available models do not fully evaluate resource use and availability in the context of their functional relevance for human purposes. For the efficient use of resources, all dimensions of sustainability need to be addressed. Environmental, economic, and social implications of material use and availability have to also be considered. Assessment of resource utilization and efficiency associated with product systems needs to shift toward life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA).

Messung von Ressourceneffizienz mit der ESSENZ-Methode

BMBF, 033R094A-F, r³ - Strategische Metalle, Verbundvorhaben: Integrierte Methode zur ganzheitlichen Berechnung/Messung von Ressourceneffizienz - ESSENZ

Enhancing the water accounting and vulnerability evaluation model: WAVE+

Due to the increasing relevance of analyzing water consumption along product life cycles, the water accounting and vulnerability evaluation model (WAVE) has been updated and methodologically enhanced. Recent data from the atmospheric moisture tracking model WAM2-layers is used to update the basin internal evaporation recycling (BIER) ratio, which denotes atmospheric moisture recycling within drainage basins. Potential local impacts resulting from water consumption are quantified by means of the water deprivation index (WDI). Based on the hydrological model WaterGAP3, WDI is updated and methodologically refined to express a basins vulnerability to freshwater deprivation resulting from the relative scarcity and absolute shortage of water. Compared to the predecessor version, BIER and WDI are provided on an increased spatial and temporal (monthly) resolution. Differences compared to annual averages are relevant in semiarid and arid basins characterized by a high seasonal variation of water consumption and availability. In order to support applicability in water footprinting and life cycle assessment, BIER and WDI are combined to an integrated WAVE+ factor, which is provided on different temporal and spatial resolutions. The applicability of the WAVE+ method is proven in a case study on sugar cane, and results are compared to those obtained by other impact assessment methods.

Partial Order Analysis of the Government Dependence of the Sustainable Development Performance in Germany’s Federal States

The German core sustainability indicators are applied to determine the status of sustainable development (SD) of Germany’s federal states. As such processes depend on political measures, the chapter analyses the connection of the SD performance of federal states with the governing political parties using the Partial Order methodology. Based on the resulting Hasse diagrams and on the average heights (based on the set of linear extensions of the partial orders) the federal states Bavaria, Schleswig-Holstein, Baden-Wurttemberg, Thuringia, Hesse, and Rhineland-Palatinate are compared. The comparison shows no unambiguous relation between the governing political parties and the development in a federal state. Other aspects explaining the respective SD performance could not be identified. To further analyze which aspects influence the sustainable development of federal states, the potential dependence on Germany’s federal government should be assessed.

Berechnung der Ressourceneffizienz

In den folgenden Unterkapiteln wird die Berechnung der Ressourceneffizienz basierend auf den in Kap. 3 ermittelten Sachbilanzdaten und der in Kap. 4 beschriebenen Bewertung durchgefuhrt. Die Erklarung der einzelnen Berechnungsschritte wird am bereits zuvor eingefuhrten Beispiel des Aluminium- und Silberkabels exemplarisch dargestellt.

Ablauf der Ressourceneffizienzbewertung mit der ESSENZ-Methode

In Abb. 2.1 sind die in der ESSENZ-Methode betrachteten Bereiche Produktsystem und Bewertung dargestellt. Die Modellierung des Produktsystems wird in Kap. 3 erlautert und beinhaltet idealerweise den gesamten Lebensweg des Produktes. Neben der Entnahme von Rohstoffen werden die Produktion, Nutzung und Wartung, Recycling, Wieder-und Weiterverarbeitung sowie die Entsorgung des Produktes berucksichtigt. Die Bewertung der Ressourceneffizienz des Produktsystems mithilfe der ESSENZ Methode ist in Kap. 4 umfassend erklart und gliedert sich in die Teildimensionen „Physische und sozio-okonomische Verfugbarkeit“, „Gesellschaftliche Akzeptanz“ und „Umweltauswirkungen“. Die Gegenuberstellung dieser einzelnen Dimensionen mit der Dimension „Nutzen“ ermoglicht schlieslich eine Bewertung der Ressourceneffizienz.

Interpretation der Ergebnisse

Im Folgenden wird auf die Interpretation der in Kap. 5 berechneten Ergebnisse eingegangen. Dazu werden in einem ersten Schritt sowohl die Unsicherheiten der Gesamtmethode als auch der einzelnen Methodenbestandteile vorgestellt. Anschliesend gibt es Hinweise fur die Interpretation der betrachteten Kategorien und Dimensionen. Die Interpretation aller Kategorien fur die Bewertung der Ressourceneffizienz des untersuchten Produktsystems ist wichtig, um Zielkonflikte innerhalb sowie zwischen den Dimensionen transparent aufzuzeigen und in die Handlungsempfehlung einfliesen zu lassen.