Assessing Progress Towards Sustainability

Frameworks, Tools and Case Studies

1st Edition - April 14, 2022

Editors: Carmen Teodosiu, Silvia Fiore, Almudena Hospido

Paperback ISBN:

9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 8 5 8 5 1 - 9

eBook ISBN:

9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 8 9 7 9 9 - 0

Assessing Progress toward Sustainability: Frameworks, Tools, and Case Studies provides practical frameworks for measuring progress toward sustainability in various areas of… Read more

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Assessing Progress toward Sustainability: Frameworks, Tools, and Case Studies provides practical frameworks for measuring progress toward sustainability in various areas of production, consumption, services and urban development as they relate to environmental impact. A variety of policies/strategies or frameworks are available at national and international levels. This book presents an integrated approach to sustainability progress measurement by considering both the frameworks and methodological developments of various tools, as well as their implementation in assessing the sustainability of processes, products and services through a global perspective.

Combining methods and their application, the book covers a variety of topics, including lifecycle assessment, risk assessment, nexus thinking, and connection to SDGs. Organized clearly into three main sections --Frameworks, Tools, and Case Studies--this book can serve as a practical resource for researchers and practitioners alike in environmental science, sustainability, environmental management and environmental engineering.

Cover image
Title page
Table of Contents
Copyright
Contributors
About the editors
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1: An integrated approach to assess the sustainability progress
Abstract
1: The challenges of sustainable development and sustainability progress
2: The book vision and approach
References
Section I: Frameworks for assessing sustainability
Chapter 2: Sustainable development and its goals
Abstract
Acknowledgments
1: Introduction
2: The relationships between the SDGs and sustainability
3: Indicators and the perception of scientists on their ability to reach each SDG
4: The lack of a universal scientific model linking the SDGs and sustainability
5: Concluding remarks
References
Chapter 3: Sustainability and the circular economy
Abstract
Acknowledgments
1: Introduction
2: Material resource efficiency
3: Structural changes
4: Drivers for a sustainable economy
5: Conclusions
References
Chapter 4: The food–energy–water nexus approach
Abstract
1: Introduction
2: Important streams of nexus research
3: Defining the ‘food–energy–water nexus’ as a framework
4: Discussion
5: Conclusions
References
Chapter 5: The European Green Deal in the global sustainability context
Abstract
Acknowledgments
1: A ‘Decade of Action’ for sustainability
2: The European Green Deal
3: Sustainability science in support to the European Green Deal
4: Beyond the European Green Deal
5: Conclusions
References
Section II: Assessment tools for sustainability-methodological issues
Chapter 6: Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment-based tools
Abstract
1: What Life Cycle Thinking means: A system approach to sustainability
2: Environmental Life Cycle Assessment
3: Life Cycle Costing
4: Social Life Cycle Assessment
5: Towards Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment: The integration challenge
6: Conclusions and looking ahead
References
Chapter 7: Footprint tools
Abstract
1: Introduction
2: Ecological footprint
3: Carbon footprint
4: Water footprint
5: Nitrogen and phosphorous footprints
6: Product environmental footprint (PEF)
7: Other footprint tools
8: Conclusions
References
Chapter 8: The combined use of life cycle assessment and data envelopment analysis to analyse the environmental efficiency of multi-unit systems
Abstract
Acknowledgments
1: The importance of eco-efficiency in sustainable development
2: The LCA + DEA method
3: A brief history of the joint use of LCA + DEA
4: Recent methodological advances in LCA + DEA
5: Advantages and limitations of applying the LCA + DEA method: Future outlook
References
Chapter 9: Territorial Life Cycle Assessment
Abstract
Acknowledgments
1: Introduction
2: Main principles of territorial LCA
3: Overview of applications
4: Combinations with other tools
5: Conclusions and perspectives
References
Chapter 10: Environmental impact and risk assessment
Abstract
Acknowledgments
1: EIA concepts, goals, and target audience
2: Environmental impact assessment methodology
3: Risk assessment methodology
4: Integrated approach of environmental impact and risk assessments
5: Environmental impact assessment and life cycle assessment
6: Conclusions
References
Chapter 11: Multi-criteria decision-making
Abstract
1: Introduction
2: Multi-criteria decision-making methods and framework
3: Tools and software
4: Data requirements
5: Scale of analyses and target audience
6: Discussion
7: Conclusion and future research
References
Section III: Case studies for sustainability assessments
Chapter 12: Life cycle assessment for eco-design in product development
Abstract
Acknowledgements
1: Aims
2: State of the art
3: Novelty
4: LCA evaluation of novel organic/inorganic composites
5: LCA evaluation of novel sorbents obtained from rapeseed waste biomass
6: Conclusions
References
Chapter 13: Life Cycle Assessment for the design of a pilot recovery plant
Abstract
Acknowledgements
1: Aims
2: State of the art
3: Novelty
4: Case study description
5: Conclusions
References
Chapter 14: LCA and food and personal care products sustainability: Case studies of Thai riceberry rice products
Abstract
Acknowledgements
1: Aims
2: State of the art
3: Novelty
4: Case study description
5: Conclusions
References
Chapter 15: Environmental and economic sustainability of cocoa production in west sub-Saharan Africa
Abstract
1: Aims
2: State of the art
3: Case study description
4: Conclusions
References
Chapter 16: Environmental assessment of urban water systems: LCA case studies
Abstract
Acknowledgements
1: Aims
2: State of the art
3: Case studies description
4: Conclusions
References
Chapter 17: Environmental sustainability in energy production systems
Abstract
1: Aims
2: State of the art
3: Novelty
4: Case studies description
5: Conclusions
References
Chapter 18: Sustainability assessment of biotechnological processes: LCA and LCC of second-generation biobutanol production
Abstract
Acknowledgements
1: Aims
2: State of the art
3: Novelty
4: Case study description
5: Conclusions
References
Chapter 19: Footprint assessment of solid waste management systems
Abstract
Acknowledgements
1: Aims
2: State of the art
3: Novelty
4: Case study description
5: Conclusions
References
Chapter 20: How can we validate the environmental profile of bioplastics? Towards the introduction of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) in the value chains
Abstract
1: Plastics and bioplastics
2: Polyhydroxyalkanoates: Feasible production and challenges along the value chain
3: Review strategy: Current literature regarding LCA of PHA
4: Critical review of the current LCA studies for PHA production
5: Future outlook, challenges, and key players
6: Conclusions
References
References included in the critical review but not explicitly discussed in the text
Chapter 21: Conclusions
Index

Carmen Teodosiu

Carmen Teodosiu is Professor and Director of the Department of Environmental Engineering and Management from ‘Gheorghe Asachi’ Technical University of Iasi (TUIASI), Romania. She obtained her chemical engineering degree at TUIASI (1981); post-graduate diploma (1995) and a Master of Science degree with distinction in environmental science and technology (1996), both at IHE Institute of Hydraulics and Environmental Engineering, UNESCO-IHE Delft, The Netherlands; and her PhD in chemistry at TUIASI (1998). From 2008 to 2016, she was Vice-Rector for research and Director of the Doctoral Schools at TUIASI. Her research interests are in the fields of advanced wastewater treatment, integrated water resources management, and environmental and sustainability assessments. Prof. Carmen Teodosiu published more than 198 scientific papers in international peer-reviewed journals, 29 book chapters, 8 patents, Hirsch index = 26 (Scopus and Web of Science or WoS), and H = 30 (Google Scholar). She was involved, as a coordinator/principal investigator, in 224 research projects funded by European and National agencies or industries. She is a PhD supervisor in the domains of chemical and environmental engineering, and 15 candidates received their PhD titles under her supervision. Prof. Teodosiu received the Doctor Honoris Causa award from Pannonia University Veszprem, Hungary. She is the initiator and chairperson of the International Conference in Environmental Engineering and Management (ICEEM), with its 11th edition in 2021 (four previous editions were organised in Hungary, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland, www.iceem.ro). Prof. Carmen Teodosiu is a member of editorial boards and subject editor for international peer-reviewed journals such as Sustainable Production and Consumption, Journal of Cleaner Production, Water, and Environmental Engineering and Management Journal. She is also a guest editor of special issues of journals such as Process Safety and Environmental Protection, Sustainable Production and Consumption, Water, Sustainability, and Environmental Engineering and Management Journal. .

Affiliations and expertise

Professor and Director of the Department of Environmental Engineering and Management from „Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University Iasi (TUIASI), Romania.

Silvia Fiore

Silvia Fiore is Associate Professor at the Department of Engineering for Environment, Land and Infrastructures (DIATI) at Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy, since 2014. She obtained her chemistry degree at the University of Turin (1997) and a PhD in environmental engineering at Polytechnic University of Turin (2003). She instructs the courses ‘Environmental Chemistry’ and ‘Circular Economy and Environmental Sustainability’ at the Polytechnic University of Turin. She is responsible of the Circular Economy laboratory. Her current research interests are water and wastewater treatments, waste management and circular economy, and environmental and economic assessments of full-scale processes. She has published more than 76 papers in peer-reviewed journals (H index = 21 on Scopus, 23 on Google Scholar), has supervised 10 PhD theses (4 ongoing) and 12 research fellows, and was the principal coordinator of 11 research projects funded by European/National agencies and industries. She is currently involved in three Horizon 2020 projects (BEST4Hy, HYDRA, and NICE) and in one ERA-MIN2 project (BASH-TREAT). She has been Visiting Scholar at McGill University, Canada, in 2016. She was awarded Doctor Honoris Causa by ‘Gheorghe Asachi’ Technical University of Iasi in 2019 and has been appointed Adjunct Research Professor (2018–24) in the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering of Western University of Ontario, Canada. She is an editorial board member for Environmental Engineering and Management Journal and the Sustainability journal. She is also a guest editor for Sustainable Production and Consumption, Water, and Sustainability journals.

Affiliations and expertise

Associate Professor at the Department of Engineering for Environment, Land and Infrastructures (DIATI) at Politecnico di Torino, Italy

Almudena Hospido

Almudena Hospido is Associate Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering and a member of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Environmental Technologies (CRETUS), both at the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Spain. Her current research interests are related to the application and development of life cycle assessment and environmental footprints for monitoring progress and support decisions, with a special focus on the wastewater sector (both treatment and valorisation) and on the food production and processing industry. International collaboration has always been a key pillar of her research activities, with research stays in Sweden, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and an active role in European projects: at present participating in two H2020 actions (USABLE Packaging and PROTECT) and in the past as coordinator of the H2020 CAS ENERWATER that developed, tested, and validated a method to measure, benchmark, and communicate the energy efficiency of wastewater treatment plants. The method has been adopted by the CEN/TC165 and approved in January 2021 as the CEN/TR 17614: Standard method for assessing and improving the energy efficiency of wastewater treatment plans. She has published more than 70 papers in peer-reviewed journals (H-index = 35, Scopus) and 10 book chapters. She has supervised eight PhD theses (three of them ongoing). She is an editorial board member for the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, responsible for the wastewater section. Almudena Hospido was also Vice-Rector of Internationalisation (September 2015–June 2018), CEO of Cursos Internacionais da USC (October 2015–June 2018), member of the Executive Committee of the Compostela Group of Universities (September 2015–June 2018), and USC International Relations Coordinator (September 2013–April 2014).

Affiliations and expertise

Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering of the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Spain