Indicators of environmental loading and sustainability of urban systems. An emergy-based environmental footprint. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Viglia, Silvio; Civitillo, Dario Felice; Cacciapuoti, Gianluca; Ulgiati, Sergio
• Is Part Of: Ecological indicators. Volume 94(2018)Part 3
• Page Start: 82
• Page End: 99
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: REN renewable fraction of emergy use -- AA actual area -- ASA Absolute Sustainability Area -- ASAF Absolute Sustainability Amplification Factor -- BCAF Background Concentration Amplification Factor -- BCDA Background Concentration Dilution Area -- CED Cumulative Energy Demand -- DA Dilution Area -- ED empower density -- EDren renewable empower density -- ELR environmental loading ratio -- EMA Emergy Accounting -- ESI Emergy Sustainability Index -- EYR emergy yield ratio -- F Input from economy (imported) -- F1 imported fuels and electricity -- F2 imported food and water -- F3 other imported goods -- LCA Life Cycle Assessment -- LCAF Legal Concentration Amplification Factor -- LCDA Legal Concentration Dilution Area -- LSN Renewable fraction of Labor and Services input -- LSR Non renewable fraction of Labor and Services input -- Mdil mass of dilution air or water needed -- MFA material flow analysis -- N local non-renewable input -- NEAD National Environmental Accounting Database -- PEDI Pollutant Empower Density Index -- R Renewable input -- RLA Relative Loading Area -- RLAF Relative Loading Amplification Factor -- RSA Relative Sustainability Area -- RSAF Relative Sustainability Amplification Factor -- TRA Total Renewability Area -- TRAF Total Renewability Amplification Factor -- U Total emergy -- UEV Unit Emergy Value -- W Downstream environmental impacts; Energy efficiency -- Urban systems -- Sustainability -- Emergy -- Environmental accounting; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environmental impact analysis -- Periodicals; Environmental risk assessment -- Periodicals; Sustainable development -- Periodicals; 333.71405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.03.060
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-160X

Abstract

Abstract: Cities are the engine of economic development and human wellbeing, but their dynamics needs to be supported by the convergence of large flows of material and energy resources. Assessing a city resource metabolism becomes increasingly crucial, not only concerning the relation with the environment as a source or a sink, but also concerning the internal dynamics of resource exchange among city components and sectors. We applied Emergy Accounting (EMA) and Cumulative Energy Demand (CED) methods to develop and validate indicators of urban environmental sustainability, using as case studies five urban systems of different size in Italy. CED allowed an assessment of the commercial energy consumption required on local and global scales to support the city life and economy. Airborne emissions related to direct and indirect energy consumption were also assessed. EMA was used to quantify the environmental support required for the urban metabolism, in terms of resource generation and ecosystem services supply. Combining these three aspects, a new metric is discussed and developed to estimate the environmental impact of cities, with reference to their resource use, in order to implement comprehensive indicators and suggest resource use criteria at urban level. A city's support area to buffer upstream and downstream environmental loading is also calculated. Relative and absolute sustainability concepts are introduced and discussed, showing how far the investigated cities are from a resource-based environmentally sustainable state. Finally, practices are suggested as an exit strategy from the present intensive fossil powered economy towards a higher level of environmental sustainability and wellbeing.