Sustainable non-isocyanate polyurethanes bio-adhesives for engineered wood panels are revealed as promising candidates to move from formaldehyde-based alternatives

The main driving forces on the development of eco-friendly wood adhesives are based on environmental sustainability, costs savings, recyclability, reusability and health benefits, in comparison with synthetic resins. Lignin, tannin, proteins and carbohydrates are the main renewable raw materials being studied. Taking as a premise the technical performance of different bio-based alternatives, in comparison with formaldehyde-based resins, it is necessary to evaluate the environmental profile of such products in order to assess the pros and cons. In this regard, this manuscript addresses the industrial-scale design and environmental evaluation, through the Life Cycle Assessment methodology, of four formaldehyde-free bio-adhesives. For this purpose, the use of renewable resources such as Organosolv (OSL) and kraft (KL) lignins, soy (SPI) and tannins (MT)), crosslinked and hardened with NIPU (non-isocyanate polyurethanes) were considered. The impact results obtained showed that OSL-NIPU bio-adhesive, with a single environmental score of 35.27 mPa, has the best environmental profile, followed by SPI-NIPU, with a value of 63.36 mPa. Therefore, both could be considered as potential substitutes for synthetic resins. On the other hand, it has been identified that hexamethylenediamine (HDMA), used as crosslinking agent for the formulation of the bio-adhesives, is one of the main hotspots of the environmental profiles of OSL, KL and MT NIPU bio-adhesives. In the case of SPI-NIPU adhesives, it is the soy protein isolation process that leads to a higher environmental contribution. Thus, future research should focus on trying to reduce the dose of HMDA and on improving the soy protein isolation processThis research has been financially supported by ERA-CoBIOTECH project (PCI2018–092866) Programación Conjunta Internacional 2018-WOODBADH project. The authors belong to the Galician Competitive Research Group (GRC ED431C 2017/29) and to the Cross-disciplinary Research in Environmental Technologies (CRETUS Research Center, ED431E 2018/01)S

Integrating circularity as an essential pillar of dairy farm sustainability

Given the complex and often negative interactions between humanity and nature, methodologies and frameworks for assessing the concepts of circularity (C) and sustainability (S) have become the focus of many studies in the last decade. However, C and S have developed partially independently, impairing the interpretation of their intricate relationships. In this context, there is still no regulatory framework on how to assess them in an integrated manner through simple but robust indicators. To fill this gap, this study proposes an evaluation framework that allows the holistic integration of C and S indicators (integration of CIrcularity and SUstainable indicators – CISU methodology) taking the dairy sector as a case study. For this purpose, 50 Spanish dairy farms have been selected to estimate a Composite Dairy Farm index (CDFi) as a result of the integration of 9 C indicators and 21 S indicators. The results obtained showed a relative homogeneity among dairy farms as well as some room for improvement, with the CDFi (scores from 0 to 100) varying from 36 to 64 points. The results indicate that minimising reliance on external cow feed, use of own-produced fodders, and suitable field management are essential to achieve a circular and sustainable milk production system. This manuscript contributes with the proposal of a novel framework that can be adapted to different companies and products to assess the implementation of CE principles to achieve sustainable development. However, the integration of additional aspects, such as industrial symbiosis, or its applicability at meso level appear as challenges in order to implement sustainable development throughout the supply chain

Puntuación del nexo agua-energía-alimentación (AEA) para los productos del mar en el marco de una ecoetiqueta holística armonizada

Ponencia presentada en: XII Congreso de la Asociación Española de Climatología celebrado en Santiago de Compostela entre el 19 y el 21 de octubre de 2022.[ES]Los indicadores de las metodologías de análisis de ciclo de vida (ACV) han emergido como herramientas útiles para identificar y comunicar los impactos ambientales de un sistema gracias a su accesibilidad y fácil comprensión para el público no experto. A partir de esta idea, surge el marco de trabajo de nexo Agua-Energía-Alimentación (AEA), con el fin de crear conciencia acerca de las relaciones entre los derechos universales de la provisión de agua, el suministro eléctrico y el abastecimiento de alimentos. Respecto a este último, el sector pesquero destaca como un pilar fundamental en la lucha contra la malnutrición debido a su importante papel en valores nutricionales. Es entonces que la Unión Europea (UE) lanzó el proyecto “crecimiento azul” con el objetivo de asegurar que el desarrollo de las pesquerías no esté relacionado con la degradación de sus ecosistemas. Sin embargo, aunque los productores están dispuestos a comunicar la sostenibilidad de los productos, no existe todavía una metodología estandarizada. Por tanto, este estudio tiene como objetivo proponer una metodología de cálculo de nexo AEA para eco-etiquetar productos del mar en el área atlántica europea, dentro del proyecto NEPTUNUS, estableciendo las bases para lograr un “futuro azul” focalizado en la economía circular y el desarrollo sostenible. Sin embargo, ciertos aspectos, como los procesos de ponderación e integración, deben reevaluarse para ampliar el enfoque a otros ámbitos y casos prácticos con el objetivo de que la eco-certificación propuesta llegue a estar presente en las principales cadenas de suministro y venta al por menor.[EN]Indicators from life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies have emerged as useful tools for identifying and communicating the environmental impacts of a system thanks to they are accessible and easy to understand to non-expert public. From this idea arises the framework of Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus, with the aim of raising awareness of the connections between the universal rights to water provision, electronic delivery and food supply. Regarding the latter, the fisheries sector stands out as a fundamental pillar in the fight against malnutrition due to its important role on nutritional values. In this context, the European Union (EU) "blue growth" project aims to ensure that the development of the fisheries is not linked to the degradation of its ecosystems. However, although producers and authorities are willing to communicate the sustainability of products, there is still no standard methodology for this. Therefore, this study aims to provide technical guidance to calculate a single WEF nexus score for ecolabelling seafood products in the European Atlantic area, within the NEPTUNUS project. This methodology then lays the foundation for achieving a “blue future” based on the bundle of a circular economy along with a sustainable development. However, certain aspects, such as the weighting and integration processes need to be re-evaluated to broaden the approach to other areas and case studies with the aim that the proposed environmental certification can be present in major supply and retail chains.Este estudio fue financiado por el proyecto NEPTUNUS (EAPA_576/2018), dentro del programa Interreg Atlantic Area a través del Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER). Los autores pertenecen a CRETUS y a los Grupos de Referencia Competitiva (GRCED431C 2017/29) cofinanciado por la Xunta de Galicia y FEDER

Water-Energy-Food nexus index proposal as a sustainability criterion on dairy farms

Cow milk is a fundamental nutrients source for the human diet at all stages of life. However, the decline in cow milk consumption over the years has been driven by increased consumer awareness of animal welfare and the environmental burdens associated. In this regard, different initiatives have emerged to mitigate the impacts of livestock farming, but many of them without addressing the multi-perspective view of environmental sustainability. Thus, the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus emerges as a framework to consider the complex synergies among carbon emissions, water demand, energy requirements and food production. In this study, a novel and harmonised WEF nexus approach has been proposed and applied to evaluate a set of 100 dairy farms. For that, the assessment, normalisation, and weighting of three lifecycle indicators such as carbon, water and energy footprints, as well as the milk yield were carried out to obtain a single value, the WEF nexus index (WEFni), which varies from 0 to 100. Results show that the WEF nexus scores obtained vary from 31 to 90, demonstrating large differences among the farms assessed. A cluster ranking was performed to identify those farms with the worst WEF nexus indexes. For this group, consisting of 8 farms with an average WEFni of 39, three improvement actions focused on the feeding, digestive process and wellbeing of the cows were applied to determine the potential reduction in the two main hotspots identified: cow feeding and milk production level. The proposed methodology can establish a roadmap for promoting a more environmentally sustainable food industry, although further studies are still required in the pathway of a standardised WEFniThis research was co-funded by CEPES (118.831059.02) and the EAPA_576/2018 NEPTUNUS project, supported by Interreg Atlantic Area. E.E.B., R.R.L., G.F., M.T.M., and S.G.G. belong to the Galician Competitive Research Groups (GRC) ED431C-2021/37, co-funded by Xunta de Galicia and FEDER (EU). E.E.B is funded by Xunta de Galicia PhD Grant (ED481A-2021/164). L.V.I is funded by CONICYT PFCHA/DOCTORADO BECAS CHILE/2018–21180701S

Integrated Management Proposal for the Fishing Corrals from the Northwest Coast from Cadiz (Spain)

Con base en un estudio de investigación acerca de los corrales de pesca, un arte de pesca que se basa en el aprovechamiento de los ciclos mareales para atrapar a organismos marinos a través de cercos dispuestos en la zona intermareal de las costas y constituidos por muros de piedra, se elabora una propuesta de gestión integrada a escala comarcal que palie la problemática presente basada en un estado de deterioro y abandono paulatinos. Los corrales se encuentran presentes en las playas gaditanas de los municipios de Rota, Chipiona y Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Como paso previo, se recopiló información acerca de su posible origen y la evolución que han tenido a lo largo de la historia. Para el diagnóstico de la zona, se han aplicado los siguientes métodos: Análisis de los Tres Subsistemas, Modelo GEO y Análisis DAFO. Algunos de los resultados más relevantes que se han obtenido de la fase de diagnóstico indican que los principales motivos causantes del estado actual de los corrales son: 1) la amenaza que supone la práctica del marisqueo ilegal, 2) la precariedad de la figura que vela por su mantenimiento, el corralero o catador, así como 3) los múltiples servicios ecológicos (punto de alta biodiversidad por ser una zona de refugio y puesta de múltiples especies marinas) y culturales (realización de estudios científicos o como lugar para impartir educación ambiental) que ofrece y que podrían suponer su puesta en valor. A modo de conclusión se puede afirmar que, por todo lo anterior, es necesaria la coordinación entre los municipios vecinos para que no se pierda parte de su legado etnográfico.Base on a research study about fishing corrals, a fishing gear based on using the tidal cycles in order to fish marine organisms by means of hedges located in the intertidal zone and made of rocks, it is develop an integral management proposal at regional scale that solves their current problem based on an a state of gradual deterioration and abandonment. The fishing corrals are located in the beaches of the municipalities of Rota, Chipiona and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. As a previous step, information was collected about its possible origin and evolution throughout history. In order to do a diagnosis, different techniques have been applied: Three Subsystems Analysis, GEO Methodology and SWOT Analysis. The most relevants results from the diagnosis are 1) the threat of the illegal shellfish gathering, 2) the shellfishermen figure’s precariousness, who are the supervisors of corrals’ maintenance, as well as 3) the corrals offer multiple ecological (high biodiversity area, due to it is a refuge zone) and cultural (to carry out scientific researches or to teach environmental education) services, which could entail their value enhancement. In conclusion, it is necessary the cooperation between neighbouring villages with the purpose of not to lose part of their etnographic legacy

Blue carbon accounting as metrics to be taken into account towards the target of GHG emissions mitigation in fisheries

The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development must address the balance between sustainable growth and tackling climate change. In this context, forests can help to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, unfortunately, equivalent solutions in the ocean are often overlooked. Moreover, the complexity in determining the real impact of fishing on the environment is not a trivial issue. Thus, the aim of this study is to broaden the scope and analyse, for the first time, the entire carbon cycle associated with the life cycle of a fish: Scomber scombrus from a fishery located in the Cantabrian Sea (Spain). From this carbon cycle assessment, it is estimated that fishing activity has prevented 871.7 t of carbon (in terms of blue carbon) from being sequestered each year. This value comes from the fraction of fish that would have died of natural causes if they had not been caught, reaching the seabed, and undergoing remineralisation processes of the carbon content of their bodies. Beyond these results, it is vital to implement a series of actions with the aim of counteracting the amount of carbon that could have been sequestered on the seabed by the natural death of the fishes if they had not been caught. To this end, it is shown that the implementation of technical improvements to the vessels, the replacement of the current fuel used and the rearrangement of shipping routes in combination with an extension in the closed fishing season and a commitment to an omnivorous diet, allows for a reduction in carbon flow of almost 90 % of the blue carbon that has been prevented from being sequestered by fisheries. A consequential approach can then identify the influence of the proposed changes on their corresponding carbon flows for use as decision criteria in regulating fisheries and environmental management policiesThis research was supported by the EAPA_576/2018 NEPTUNUS project, supported by Interreg Atlantic Area. The authors belong to CRETUS and the Galician Competitive Research Group GRCED431C 2017/29 co-founded by Xunta de Galicia and FEDER (EU). E.E.B is funded by Xunta de Galicia PhD Grant (ED481A-2021/164)S

Evaluating the carbon footprint of a Spanish city through environmentally extended input output analysis and comparison with life cycle assessment

Currently, most of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are attributed to cities, as they are the global centers of business, residential and cultural activity, cities are expected to play a leading role in proposing climate change mitigation actions. To do so, it is important to have tools that allow the carbon footprint of cities to be assessed as accurately as possible. This study aims to quantify the carbon footprint (CF) associated with the activities developed in a Spanish city (Cadiz, Southwest Spain) by means of two available environmental methodologies, namely Environmentally Extended Input-Output Analysis (EEIOA) and Life Cycle assessment (LCA). When EEIOA is considered, two downscaling factors were proposed for the analysis due to the nature of the data handled (monetary data), based on the incomes (DF1) and expenditures (DF2) per inhabitant at city level. Regarding LCA, the rates of consumption of goods and production of waste per inhabitant have been processed to estimate the CF. The CF scores identified were 5.25 and 3.83 tCO2-eq·inhabitant-1·year-1 for DF1 and DF2 respectively, according to EEIOA, and 5.43 tCO2-eq·inhabitant-1·year-1, considering LCA. Therefore, a similarity can be concluded between the results obtained with both methodologies despite the inherent differences. Considering the results, the downscaling procedure based on income per inhabitant should be preferred, pointing to EEIOA as a good alternative to LCA for evaluating the CF at city level, requiring less time and effort. In contrast, EEIOA reports more limitations when critical flows were identified, which LCA can solve. Finally, this study can be of great interest to policy makers and city governments to know the CF and the main flows that contribute and in this way, can develop new policies and city models for reducing GHG emission new policies and city models for reducing GHG emission and addressing climate change.publishe

Achieving Sustainability of the Seafood Sector in the European Atlantic Area by Addressing Eco-Social Challenges: The NEPTUNUS Project

Fisheries and aquaculture are becoming a focus of societal concern driven by globalization and increasing environmental degradation, mainly caused by climate change and marine litter. In response to this problem, the European Atlantic Area NEPTUNUS project aims to support and inform about the sustainability of the seafood sector, boosting the transition towards a circular economy through defining eco-innovation approaches and a steady methodology for eco-labelling products. This timely trans-regional European project proposes key corrective actions for positively influencing resource efficiency by addressing a life cycle thinking and involving all stakeholders in decision-making processes, harnessing the water-energy-seafood nexus. This paper presents inter-related objectives, methodologies and cues to action that will potentially meet these challenges that are aligned with many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and European policy frameworks (e.g., Farm to Fork, European Green Deal)

Achieving Sustainability of the Seafood Sector in the European Atlantic Area by Addressing Eco-Social Challenges: The NEPTUNUS Project

Fisheries and aquaculture are becoming a focus of societal concern driven by globalization and increasing environmental degradation, mainly caused by climate change and marine litter. In response to this problem, the European Atlantic Area NEPTUNUS project aims to support and inform about the sustainability of the seafood sector, boosting the transition towards a circular economy through defining eco-innovation approaches and a steady methodology for eco-labelling products. This timely trans-regional European project proposes key corrective actions for positively influencing resource efficiency by addressing a life cycle thinking and involving all stakeholders in decisionmaking processes, harnessing the water-energy-seafood nexus. This paper presents inter-related objectives, methodologies and cues to action that will potentially meet these challenges that are aligned with many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and European policy frameworks (e.g., Farm to Fork, European Green Deal). © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland