Environmental impacts and potential mitigation options for organic open-field vegetable production in Denmark assessed through life cycle assessment

Andreas Jensen; Lisbeth Mogensen; H. M. G. van der Werf; Yue Xie; Marie Trydeman Knudsen; Hanne Lakkenborg Kristensen

doi:10.1016/j.spc.2024.02.008

Environmental impacts and potential mitigation options for organic open-field vegetable production in Denmark assessed through life cycle assessment

Andreas Jensen^*, Lisbeth Mogensen, H. M. G. van der Werf, Yue Xie, Marie Trydeman Knudsen, Hanne Lakkenborg Kristensen

^*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avis › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

2 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

A shift in food intake towards more plant-based options such as vegetables is emphasised for lowering the environmental impact of food consumption, and organic farming is promoted as a tool to meet European policy goals related to sustainability, environment and biodiversity. However, the current environmental impact of organic vegetable production is not well explored. Here we address the knowledge gap of environmental impacts from organic vegetable production in a life cycle perspective, locate primary impact sources and investigate potential mitigation option scenarios. The assessment focussed on pointed cabbage, cos lettuce and yellow onion in a mixed crop rotation, as common under commercial Danish conditions, and include estimation of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. The system boundary was set from cradle to farm gate, and included inputs to cultivation, soil C and N dynamics in the crop rotation, post-harvest cooling, packaging and storage. The data for modelling was collected from growers, consultants and the scientific literature. We report estimated global warming potential, marine eutrophication potential, land use, water consumption, mineral and fossil resource scarcity and cumulative energy demand from production. The analysis shows that environmental impacts stemmed from several activities dependent on the crop-specific characteristics of production. For summer-grown pointed cabbage, nitrous oxide emissions from high amounts of fertiliser and crop residue was responsible for 40 % of climate impacts, for cos lettuce the production of seedlings with peat as a substrate was responsible for 40 % of climate impact, and for transplanted yellow onion the post-harvest drying and storage was responsible for 27 % of climate impacts. The identified major mitigation options were an increase in harvest shares of hand-harvested vegetable crops, lower post-harvest loss from onion storage, optimised residue management and substitution of peat as substrate for seedling production. These are promising avenues for lower environmental impact.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Sustainable Production and Consumption
Vol/bind	46
Sider (fra-til)	132-145
Antal sider	14
ISSN	2352-5509
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2024.02.008
Status	Udgivet - maj 2024

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title = "Environmental impacts and potential mitigation options for organic open-field vegetable production in Denmark assessed through life cycle assessment",

abstract = "A shift in food intake towards more plant-based options such as vegetables is emphasised for lowering the environmental impact of food consumption, and organic farming is promoted as a tool to meet European policy goals related to sustainability, environment and biodiversity. However, the current environmental impact of organic vegetable production is not well explored. Here we address the knowledge gap of environmental impacts from organic vegetable production in a life cycle perspective, locate primary impact sources and investigate potential mitigation option scenarios. The assessment focussed on pointed cabbage, cos lettuce and yellow onion in a mixed crop rotation, as common under commercial Danish conditions, and include estimation of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. The system boundary was set from cradle to farm gate, and included inputs to cultivation, soil C and N dynamics in the crop rotation, post-harvest cooling, packaging and storage. The data for modelling was collected from growers, consultants and the scientific literature. We report estimated global warming potential, marine eutrophication potential, land use, water consumption, mineral and fossil resource scarcity and cumulative energy demand from production. The analysis shows that environmental impacts stemmed from several activities dependent on the crop-specific characteristics of production. For summer-grown pointed cabbage, nitrous oxide emissions from high amounts of fertiliser and crop residue was responsible for 40 % of climate impacts, for cos lettuce the production of seedlings with peat as a substrate was responsible for 40 % of climate impact, and for transplanted yellow onion the post-harvest drying and storage was responsible for 27 % of climate impacts. The identified major mitigation options were an increase in harvest shares of hand-harvested vegetable crops, lower post-harvest loss from onion storage, optimised residue management and substitution of peat as substrate for seedling production. These are promising avenues for lower environmental impact.",

keywords = "Climate change, Environmental impact, Life cycle assessment, Organic farming, Sustainability, Vegetable production",

author = "Andreas Jensen and Lisbeth Mogensen and {van der Werf}, {H. M. G.} and Yue Xie and Knudsen, {Marie Trydeman} and Kristensen, {Hanne Lakkenborg}",

year = "2024",

month = may,

doi = "10.1016/j.spc.2024.02.008",

language = "English",

volume = "46",

pages = "132--145",

journal = "Sustainable Production and Consumption",

issn = "2352-5509",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

Environmental impacts and potential mitigation options for organic open-field vegetable production in Denmark assessed through life cycle assessment. / Jensen, Andreas; Mogensen, Lisbeth; van der Werf, H. M. G. et al.
I: Sustainable Production and Consumption, Bind 46, 05.2024, s. 132-145.

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avis › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Environmental impacts and potential mitigation options for organic open-field vegetable production in Denmark assessed through life cycle assessment

AU - Jensen, Andreas

AU - Mogensen, Lisbeth

AU - van der Werf, H. M. G.

AU - Xie, Yue

AU - Knudsen, Marie Trydeman

AU - Kristensen, Hanne Lakkenborg

PY - 2024/5

Y1 - 2024/5

N2 - A shift in food intake towards more plant-based options such as vegetables is emphasised for lowering the environmental impact of food consumption, and organic farming is promoted as a tool to meet European policy goals related to sustainability, environment and biodiversity. However, the current environmental impact of organic vegetable production is not well explored. Here we address the knowledge gap of environmental impacts from organic vegetable production in a life cycle perspective, locate primary impact sources and investigate potential mitigation option scenarios. The assessment focussed on pointed cabbage, cos lettuce and yellow onion in a mixed crop rotation, as common under commercial Danish conditions, and include estimation of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. The system boundary was set from cradle to farm gate, and included inputs to cultivation, soil C and N dynamics in the crop rotation, post-harvest cooling, packaging and storage. The data for modelling was collected from growers, consultants and the scientific literature. We report estimated global warming potential, marine eutrophication potential, land use, water consumption, mineral and fossil resource scarcity and cumulative energy demand from production. The analysis shows that environmental impacts stemmed from several activities dependent on the crop-specific characteristics of production. For summer-grown pointed cabbage, nitrous oxide emissions from high amounts of fertiliser and crop residue was responsible for 40 % of climate impacts, for cos lettuce the production of seedlings with peat as a substrate was responsible for 40 % of climate impact, and for transplanted yellow onion the post-harvest drying and storage was responsible for 27 % of climate impacts. The identified major mitigation options were an increase in harvest shares of hand-harvested vegetable crops, lower post-harvest loss from onion storage, optimised residue management and substitution of peat as substrate for seedling production. These are promising avenues for lower environmental impact.

AB - A shift in food intake towards more plant-based options such as vegetables is emphasised for lowering the environmental impact of food consumption, and organic farming is promoted as a tool to meet European policy goals related to sustainability, environment and biodiversity. However, the current environmental impact of organic vegetable production is not well explored. Here we address the knowledge gap of environmental impacts from organic vegetable production in a life cycle perspective, locate primary impact sources and investigate potential mitigation option scenarios. The assessment focussed on pointed cabbage, cos lettuce and yellow onion in a mixed crop rotation, as common under commercial Danish conditions, and include estimation of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. The system boundary was set from cradle to farm gate, and included inputs to cultivation, soil C and N dynamics in the crop rotation, post-harvest cooling, packaging and storage. The data for modelling was collected from growers, consultants and the scientific literature. We report estimated global warming potential, marine eutrophication potential, land use, water consumption, mineral and fossil resource scarcity and cumulative energy demand from production. The analysis shows that environmental impacts stemmed from several activities dependent on the crop-specific characteristics of production. For summer-grown pointed cabbage, nitrous oxide emissions from high amounts of fertiliser and crop residue was responsible for 40 % of climate impacts, for cos lettuce the production of seedlings with peat as a substrate was responsible for 40 % of climate impact, and for transplanted yellow onion the post-harvest drying and storage was responsible for 27 % of climate impacts. The identified major mitigation options were an increase in harvest shares of hand-harvested vegetable crops, lower post-harvest loss from onion storage, optimised residue management and substitution of peat as substrate for seedling production. These are promising avenues for lower environmental impact.

KW - Climate change

KW - Environmental impact

KW - Life cycle assessment

KW - Organic farming

KW - Sustainability

KW - Vegetable production

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U2 - 10.1016/j.spc.2024.02.008

DO - 10.1016/j.spc.2024.02.008

M3 - Journal article

SN - 2352-5509

VL - 46

SP - 132

EP - 145

JO - Sustainable Production and Consumption

JF - Sustainable Production and Consumption

ER -