Title:
Scoping Environmental Technologies: Learning from Life Cycle Assessment and Policy Adoption
Scoping Environmental Technologies: Learning from Life Cycle Assessment and Policy Adoption
Author(s)
Banboukian, Aline
Advisor(s)
Thomas, Valerie M.
Editor(s)
Collections
Supplementary to
Permanent Link
Abstract
In this dissertation, I use life cycle assessment (LCA) and policy adoption theory to evaluate multi-faceted environmental technologies for environmental policy development in the agriculture and water sector. This dissertation expands on existing research by providing empirical evidence and insights using LCA and policy adoption assessment. This dissertation highlights two ways to evaluate new multi-faceted environmental technologies, both providing input that supports improved and revised understanding of how technologies and policies can be re-framed for potential benefit.
The first study is a systematic literature review of the use of LCA in environmental policy. I find that the studies have largely been published since 2013, and focus on greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts. There are few policy experts publishing in this area. The literature on LCA in policy highlights the ability of LCA to provide scientific measurable information for policy options and compare between different alternatives. Additionally it highlights LCA’s ability to provide insight on the hotspots for sound sustainable decision making. The negative discussion on LCA in policy focuses on information that LCA cannot capture. To overcome the barriers of using LCA in policy, suggestions are to ensure the right type of LCA is chosen for the policy, or that other models are coupled with LCA to provide all the necessary details needed for the policy. The main policy processes these publications address are policy framing and policy evaluation.
Studies 2 and 3 provide an LCA of (1) different agricultural systems, and (2) integrated wastewater treatment plant technologies coupled with agricultural systems, in a comprehensive analysis of the environmental impacts of each of the multifaceted technologies. The overall study is an LCA of wastewater reuse for agriculture; I developed the assessment in two separate chapters due to the multiple technologies and factors involved. These chapters show that the lifecycle greenhouse gas impacts of controlled environmental agriculture dominate environmental impacts, although in other impact categories it has lower environmental impacts than open-field and low-energy-greenhouse agriculture. Water reuse can substantially reduce water consumption impacts of some types of agriculture. Substantial reduction in energy consumption of controlled environment agriculture, and substantial improvements in the efficiency of municipal water use would allow environmental benefits to be derived from reuse of both water and nutrients for agriculture.
Finally, study 4 uses policy adoption assessment to examine the drivers of water reuse policy adoption. Internal determinants and regional motivators are investigated. I find that water reuse does not face the challenges of political ideology that have been observed in other types of sustainability policies. I find that water reuse policy adoption is responsive to local and regional challenges such as drought, and to the interests of environmentalists, farmers, and water consumers.
This dissertation addresses the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) and policy adoption assessment for policy development for new multi-faceted technologies, such as those linking food, energy, and water. The combination of LCA and policy adoption assessment can provide policymakers and scholars with an understanding of both what the environmental impacts are and what factors motivate their adoption in policy.
Sponsor
Date Issued
2023-07-25
Extent
Resource Type
Text
Resource Subtype
Dissertation