Biodiversity Impact Assessment of Conventional and Organic Cotton A Comparison Using Three Different Biodiversity Quantification Models in LCA
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Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Master's Thesis
Master's Thesis
Program
Industrial ecology (MPTSE), MSc
Publicerad
2024
Författare
Dellås, Stina
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
Anthropogenic activities have led to a decline of nature’s ecosystems and biodiversity.
The textile industry has contributed to this, especially through conventional
cotton fiber production. Acknowledging humans’ impact on biodiversity and the industries
contributing, there is a need for established models to quantify biodiversity
impacts to enhance transparency in the supply chain for mitigation and responsible
consumption, aligning with global efforts for biodiversity conservation.
This study aimed to examine the cotton cultivation process and its impacts on
biodiversity. This was done through a life cycle assessment (LCA) that compared
conventional and organic cotton cultivation in Turkey. Additionally, three different
impact assessment methods were used and compared to establish aspects of the
models important to capture biodiversity loss and how the models can be developed.
The models were ReCiPe2016, a widely applied model that covers multiple impacts
and biodiversity damage pathways, and two models measuring biodiversity land use
impacts, Chaudhary & Brooks (C&B) that factors in levels of land use intensity, and
the Habitat Fragmentation model (HF) that includes impacts from fragmentation.
The results show that the cumulative impact assessed by ReCiPe2016 revealed a
greater environmental impact for conventional cotton. Land use significantly affects
both systems, with organic cotton showing a larger impact. The conventional cotton
production showed a higher impact from toxicity, climate change, and water use,
highlighting concerns about fertilization production, use, and irrigation.
Despite land use intensity considerations in C&B, the yield difference remains a crucial
factor. The study suggests the need for additional models considering ecosystem
multifunctionality to address biodiversity impacts between organic and conventional
agriculture. Following the results from the HF model, it is proposed to examine fragmentation
effects as an attribute of land use intensity. Integrating models like C&B
and HF into operational models is crucial for industry and research, promoting
responsible and sustainable practices to ensure comprehensive biodiversity impact coverage in life cycle assessments.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
Life Cycle Assessment , cotton cultivation , biodiversity , methods of impact assessment