The impact of the reform of the milk quota regime on the Italian dairy sector

This paper analyses the impact of the milk quota regime reform, actually under discussion, on the European countries with a detailed focus on the Italian milk and dairy sector. The dismantling of the milk quota regime is already on the EU agenda, but how and when to do it is still matter of debate. A possibility is to enlarge gradually the size of the national quotas, up to the full dismantling in 2015 (“soft landing”). Meanwhile, the discussion on Health Check of the CAP is under way. In this work we analyse the possible impacts of the reform of the milk quota regime on the basis of a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) approach, using two models in sequence: the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) model is used to evaluate the impacts of different scenarios of milk quota reform on the EU market and to compute the price changes outside Italy; these, in turn, are used as inputs for the MEG-D model, that focuses on the Italian milk and dairy market. The two models were run together with two specific objectives: the first was to avoid, in evaluating the impacts of reform of the milk sector regime in Italy, running the model with rough price estimates taken for secondary sources; the second, to have more specific results on the outcome at the national level. Particularly, the model takes in account the particular relevance of quality products (GDO) in Italian diary sector. In order to evaluate the impact of the “soft landing” reform scenario, we run a “comparison” scenario where the milk quotas are fully abolished in the 2009.Milk and dairy sector, Quota production, EU Agri-Food Market, PAC, Agricultural and Food Policy, Livestock Production/Industries,

How do carbon footprints from LCA and EEIOA databases compare?: A comparison of ecoinvent and EXIOBASE

Life cycle assessment (LCA) and environmentally extended input output analysis (EEIOA) are two widely used approaches to assess the environmental impacts of products and services with the aim of providing decision support. Here, we compare carbon footprint (CF) results for products and services in the ecoinvent 3.4 cut-off and the hybrid version of EXIOBASE. While we find that there is good agreement for certain sectors, more than half of the matched products differ by more than a factor 2. Best fits are observed in the energy, manufacturing, and agricultural sectors, although deviations are substantial for renewable energy. Poorer fits are observed for waste treatment and mining sectors. Both databases have a limited differentiation in the service sector. Differences can, to some degree, be explained by methodological differences, such as system boundaries and approaches used to resolve multi-functionality, and data differences. The common finding that, due to incomplete economic coverage (truncation error), LCA-based CFs should be lower than EEIOA-based CFs, could not be confirmed. The comparison of CFs from LCA and EEIOA databases can provide additional insights into the uncertainties of CF results, which is important knowledge when guiding decision makers. An approach that uses the coefficient of variation to identify strategic database improvement potentials is also presented and highlights several product groups that could deserve additional attention in both databases. Further strategic database improvements are crucial to reduce uncertainties and increase the robustness of decision support that the industrial ecology community can provide for the economic transformations ahead of us.Industrial Ecolog

Toward the development of subnational hybrid input-output tables in a multiregional framework

Environmental input–output analyses can be a useful decision support tool at the subnational level, because of its ability to capture economic and environmental impacts at other geographical levels. Yet, such analyses are hindered by the lack of subnational IO tables. Furthermore, the lack of physical product and waste flows in what is known as a “hybrid” table prevents a range of consumption‐based and circular‐economy‐type analyses. We demonstrate the development of a multiregional hybrid IOT (MRHIOT) along with environmental extensions at the subnational level and exemplify it for the case of Belgium. The development procedure discloses a novel approach of combining national hybrid tables, subnational monetary tables, and physical survey‐based data. Such a combination builds upon a partial‐survey approach that includes a range of techniques for initial estimation and reconciliation within a balancing procedure. For the validation of the approaches, we assessed the magnitude of deviations between the initial and final estimates and analyzed the uncertainties inherent to each initial estimation procedure. Subsequently, we conducted a consumption‐based analysis where we assessed the carbon footprint (CF) at the subnational level and highlighted the CF inherent to the interregional linkages. This study provides methodological and application‐based contributions to the discussion on the relevance of hybrid subnational tables and analyses compared to national ones. The proposed approach could be replicable to some extent for further developing subnational MRHIOT. The study is expected to foster more research toward the development of further subnational MRHIOT as well as its associated wide‐ranging applications.Industrial Ecolog

Global distribution of material inflows to in-use stocks in 2011 and its implications for a circularity transition

Around 40% of global raw materials that are extracted every year accumulate as in-use stocks in the form of buildings, infrastructure, transport equipment, and other durable goods. Material inflows to in-use stocks are a key component in the circularity transition, since the reintegration of those materials back into the economy, at the end of the stock's life cycle, means that less extraction of raw materials is required. Thus, understanding the geographical, material, and sectoral distribution of material inflows to in-use stocks globally is crucial for circular economy policies. Here we quantify the geographical, material, and sectoral distributions of material inflows to in-use stocks of 43 countries and 5 rest-of-the-world regions in 2011, using the global, multiregional hybrid units input-output database EXIOBASE v3.3. Among all regions considered, China shows the largest amount of material added to in-use stocks in 2011 (around 46% of global material inflows to in-use stocks), with a per capita value that is comparable to high income regions such as Europe and North America. In these latter regions, more than 90% of in-use stock additions are comprised of non-metallic minerals (e.g., concrete, brick/stone, asphalt, and aggregates) and steel. We discuss the importance of understanding the distribution and composition of materials accumulated in society for a circularity transition. We also argue that future research should integrate the geographical and material resolution of our results into dynamic stock-flow models to determine when these materials will be available for recovery and recycling. This article met the requirements for a Gold-Gold JIE data openness badge described in http://jie.click/badgesIndustrial Ecolog

EXIOBASE 3: Developing a time series of detailed environmentally extended multi-regional input-output tables

Environmentally extended multiregional input-output (EE MRIO) tables have emerged as a key framework to provide a comprehensive description of the global economy and analyze its effects on the environment. Of the available EE MRIO databases, EXIOBASE stands out as a database compatible with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) with a high sectorial detail matched with multiple social and environmental satellite accounts. In this paper, we present the latest developments realized with EXIOBASE 3—a time series of EE MRIO tables ranging from 1995 to 2011 for 44 countries (28 EU member plus 16 major economies) and five rest of the world regions. EXIOBASE 3 builds upon the previous versions of EXIOBASE by using rectangular supply-use tables (SUTs) in a 163 industry by 200 products classification as the main building blocks. In order to capture structural changes, economic developments, as repor ted by national statistical agencies, were imposed on the available, disaggregated SUTs from EXIOBASE 2. These initial estimates were further refined by incorporating detailed data on energy, agricultural production, resource extraction, and bilateral trade. EXIOBASE 3 inherits the high level of environmental stressor detail from its precursor, with further improvement in the level of detail for resource extraction. To account for the expansion of the European Union (EU), EXIOBASE 3 was developed with the full EU28 country set (including the new member state Croatia). EXIOBASE 3 provides a unique tool for analyzing the dynamics of environmental pressures of economic activities over time

Response of littoral chironomid community and organic matter to late glacial lake level and environmental changes at Lago dell'Accesa (Tuscany, Italy).

International audienceThis study focuses on the response of lacustrine littoral chironomid communities to late glacial changes in limnological, environmental and climate conditions in the Mediterranean context. Late glacial chironomid (Diptera: Chironomidae) assemblages, organic petrography and geochemistry were analysed in a sediment core from the littoral zone of Lago dell'Accesa (Tuscany, Italy), where the lake-level fluctuations and the vegetation history have been previously reconstructed. Comparison of the chironomid stratigraphy to other proxies (pollen assemblages, organic petrography and geochemistry, lake-level) and regional climate reconstruction suggested the predominant influence of lake-level changes on the littoral chironomid fauna. The main lowering events that occurred during the Oldest and the Younger Dryas were followed by higher proportions of taxa typical of littoral habitats. A complementary study of organic matter suggested the indirect impact of lake-level on the chironomids through changes in humic status and habitat characteristics, such as the type of substrate and aquatic macrophyte development. Several chironomid taxa, such as Glyptotendipes, Microtendipes and Cricotopus type patens, were identified as possible indicators of low lake-level in the late glacial records. Nevertheless, this study suggested that parallel analyses of organic matter and chironomid assemblages may be needed to circumvent misinterpretation of littoral chironomid assemblage stratigraphy. There was a weak response of the chironomid assemblages to small lake-level lowerings that corresponded to the Older Dryas and Preboreal oscillations. A higher level of determination, e.g. to the species group level, may be necessary to increase the sensibility of the indicators to lake-level changes

Balance issues in monetary input-output tables

Input-output tables (IOTs) are widely used in several types of analyses. Although born in an economic context, IOTs are increasingly used for the environmental impact assessment of product systems, e.g. in environmental policy analysis, and for several others such as the accounting of greenhouse gases.However, the use in these contexts does not ensure the validity of the IOT as a consistent and robust multidisciplinary modeling tool in itself. It is in respect to certain basic requirements that IOTs should find their legitimacy. In this paper, we study their validity with respect to a well-established scientific law: the mass balance. Compliance with this basic balance is an important check for data consistency.Following such a track, we focus specifically on monetary input-output tables and we reach the conclusion that IOTs can fail in respecting the basic balance laws whenever prices differ per purchaser. Therefore caution is needed because the estimations in terms of environmental pressures can be biased. The drawback lays in the use of homogeneous prices, which determines a discrepancy in physical units between what is used and what is asked for, within and between activities. © 2014 Elsevier B.V

Multi-layer DD-IOM (Gams code)

This folder contains the code that has been used for the numerical example of the paper: An input-output model in a balanced multi-layer framework Author: S. Mercia

The role of recycling in alleviating supply chain risk–Insights from a stock-flow perspective using a hybrid input-output database

Metal resources are unevenly distributed throughout the globe but are crucial for the global economy. Many economies are highly dependent and vulnerable to material supply from other parts of the world. This situation can be alleviated by recycling, as regions devoided of important reserves exploit their own urban mine. In this study, we explored an increased domestic recycling scenario utilizing a stock-flow perspective combined with a hybrid input-output database (EXIOBASE). We applied a mass rebalancing procedure on the production and trade flows of ores and metals. We calculated the supply risk with the GeoPolRisk method for single and two -stage supply chains. Results show that recycling reduce the risk associated with trade for most of countries and materials for the metal supply chain, where recycling effectively takes place. In contrast, such risk decrease is not found in the ore supply chain nor in the combined ore and metal supply chain.Industrial Ecolog

BIOCHEMICAL, MECHANICAL AND ENERGETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF RIGHT-VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY IN THE FERRET HEART

Ferret right Ventricular hypertrophy is characterized by a decreased and prolonged isometric contraction, associated with altered intracellular calcium (Ca2+) regulation. However myofibrillar composition, cross-bridge function and/or energy transfer may also be involved in these contractile disturbances. Therefore, mechanical properties of myofibrils have been studied with Triton X-100-skinned fibres and troponin (Tn) T and I composition has been examined. Mitochondrial function and functional activity of creatine kinase (CK) isoforms have been studied in saponin-skinned fibres of control (C) and hypertrophied (H) ferret right ventricle, to check for a possible mismatch between energy production and utilization. Our results show that neither TnT nor TnI isoform expression, nor myofibrillar Ca2+ responsiveness (similar apparent Ca2+ sensitivity and Hill coefficient) were affected by pressure-overload. Similarly, maximal tension and stiffness, as well as crossbridge cycling rate (nu) - assessed by quick length changes - were not significantly altered. Importantly, passive stiffness was dramatically increased (163+/-30 mN/mm(2)/mu m for C nu 500+/-121 mN/mm(2)/mu m for H; P<0.02). Moreover, there was a significant correlation between passive stiffness and cross-bridge cycling rate, indicating that a factor involved in the passive stiffness may affect cross-bridge kinetics. Oxidative capacity (normalized to ventricular dry weight, reflecting mitochondrial ATP production and mitochondrial CK efficacy, as well as myofibrillar CK efficacy (assessed by the shift of MgATP-rigor tension curves before and after phosphocreatine addition), were similar in both groups. These results demonstrate that ferret right Ventricular pressure-overload was accompanied by a development of myofibrils and a parallel increase of energy production capacity, transfer and utilization. Decreased compliance, probably linked to an increase in the collagen fraction and/or alterations of the cytoskeletal architecture of the overloaded ventricle, could contribute to the slower time course and decreased amplitude of the isometric twitch