The increase in international trade due to globalization is evident in southeast Spain, which has become the top exporter of fruit and vegetables. Countries within the European Union, such as Germany and France, emphasize the sustainability and environmental impacts of these products. Hence, a greater understanding of the environmental implications of transporting fruit and vegetables between their origin and their destination might improve the sustainability of this commercial activity. The concept of a carbon footprint is a recognized environmental indicator that can be used for life cycle analysis. Here, a rigorous carbon footprint assessment was developed to examine the impact of using cardboard box containers to store and transport 1,000 t of fruit and vegetable products by road from their origin in Almería, Spain, to a destination market. The assessment included the fabrication of the cardboard boxes, the service they provide while transporting the products to the distribution center of the destination, and the end-of-life of the boxes for the six main products grown in Almería. The results showed that storing and transporting 1,000 t of product by road emits between 58 t and 130 t of CO2e depending on the fruit or vegetable type and the destination market. The implications of the end-of-life scenarios with respect to the destination are also discussed. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis was conducted for the transport distance. Lastly, biogenic CO2 production was also assessed according to standard carbon footprint assessment method.
HighlightsThe carbon footprint of storage and transport of fruit and vegetables was assessed as an environmental indicator End-of-life scenarios and transport distance were the key aspects affecting the environmental impact Storing and transporting 1,000 t of fruits from Almería to main European markets emits between 58 t and 130 t of CO2e
Agricultural packaging has a direct impact on the environmental performance of food. The carbon footprint (CF) of two of the most used packaging systems for international transport by road of fruit and vegetables is assessed and compared. Corrugated cardboard boxes (CCB) and polypropylene foldable boxes (PPB) in two different sizes are the object of this study. For the reusable boxes, three different scenarios are considered regarding the number of uses of each box (20, 50, and 100 uses). Product CF ISO 14067:2018 standard is applied, and requirements of ISO 14026:2017 and ISO 14044:2006 are met for a cradle-to-grave CF analysis. Product distribution and return of the empty box are the stages with the most significant impact for PPB over the manufacturing stage. CCB that does not have any returning stage or requirements of sanitation has its main impact in manufacturing. The comparison between both packaging systems of the same size, considering the functional unit and defined scope, points out CCB has a lower CF than PPB.
When a regional government considers investing funds for the sustainable development of its region, it must consider the real needs of the population and the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The identification of needs should be carried out with the support of local stakeholders representing various social groups. This paper seeks to answer the question of how to guide public investment policies at the local level, such as improving education, health, transportation and others, to better meet the SDGs. To answer this question, a multi-criteria decision-making process is followed, whereby, once the needs are classified by investment areas, they are prioritized based on criteria derived from the SDGs. The problem is complex because of the difficulty of the local stakeholder engagement process and also because of the interrelationships and influences that arise between all the elements of the decision problem: criteria and alternatives. To address this complexity, the Analytical Network Process method combined with DEMATEL will be followed. This process is applied to the case study of the distribution of funds allocated by the Government of Colombia to the Meta Region (Colombia) with the participation of 48 stakeholders to identify needs and the support of six experts in sustainability and project management for their prioritization.
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