Publications

@article{Harder2021a,

title = {Towards a circular nutrient economy. A novel way to analyze the circularity of nutrient flows in food systems},

author = {Robin Harder and Mario Giampietro and Sean Smukler},

url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0921344921003025},

doi = {10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105693},

issn = {09213449},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-09-01},

journal = {Resources, Conservation and Recycling},

volume = {172},

pages = {105693},

publisher = {Elsevier},

abstract = {Recent years have seen a steep rise in the interest in nutrient circularity. In the context of food systems and waste management, nutrient circularity seems to generally encompass the reduction of nutrient losses and increased recovery of nutrients from various organic residual streams for reuse in agricultural production. Many studies that aim to contribute to improving nutrient circularity in food systems have limited the analysis to a given geographical area. But nutrient circularity likely looks different when the analysis includes what happens outside the borders of the considered area. This paper presents and discusses an analytical framework that allows for the analysis of nutrient circularity not only inside a given geographical area being considered, but also in those parts of the global food system with which the local food system interacts in terms of feed and food trade. This framework explicitly characterizes the impact of system openness associated with feed and food trade. This enables: (i) a separate discussion of four possible interpretations of nutrient circularity \textendash internal and external input and output circularity; and (ii) an analysis of how these four circularity indicators relate to one another depending on system openness. The proposed analysis can thus reveal the extent to which a high level of nutrient circularity in the considered area comes at the cost of a decreased level of nutrient circularity in the places with which feed and food are traded, or vice versa.},

keywords = {Agriculture, Bioeconomy, Circularity, Feed and food trade, Nutrient flows, System openness},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Santagata2021,

title = {Food waste recovery pathways: Challenges and opportunities for an emerging bio-based circular economy. A systematic review and an assessment},

author = {R. Santagata and M. Ripa and A. Genovese and S. Ulgiati},

url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0959652620355360},

doi = {10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125490},

issn = {09596526},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-03-01},

journal = {Journal of Cleaner Production},

volume = {286},

pages = {125490},

publisher = {Elsevier},

abstract = {The transition towards a Circular Economy in the agri-food supply chain will require appropriate support mechanisms. Globally, 1/3 of food is wasted, generating by-products which could be treated and processed. In a bioeconomy perspective, qualitatively and quantitatively assessing the availability of secondary raw materials and classifying the different conversion systems is crucial for the transition to happen. For this reason, a literature review of food waste conversion pathways, and related trade-offs and opportunities, has been carried out. Ecological performances of EU28 food waste treatment processes have been assessed through Life Cycle Assessment and Emergy Accounting methods, providing information from a donor and a consumer side perspectives for supporting policies. The added value of this work is the commixture of the analysis of food waste recovery and recycle pathways, their environmental assessment and the indication of opportunities and constraints. A conversion pathways database has been generated and classified. A major interest towards recovery of mixed food waste and biological type of conversion processes is highlighted. The main identified opportunities are the reduced environmental pressure and better management of resources, the avoided loss of economic value and the generation of work opportunities, as well as conditioning stakeholders' behaviors. On the other hand, it is highlighted that bad management of food waste can pose a threat on human health. The planning of these processes must carefully acknowledge local characteristics.},

keywords = {Bioeconomy, Circular economy, Emergy Accounting, Food waste, LCA},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Giampietro2019,

title = {On the Circular Bioeconomy and Decoupling: Implications for Sustainable Growth},

author = {M. Giampietro},

doi = {10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.05.001},

issn = {09218009},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-08-01},

journal = {Ecological Economics},

volume = {162},

pages = {143--156},

publisher = {Elsevier B.V.},

abstract = {This paper explores the existing confusion around the conceptual definitions and interpretations of the term circular bioeconomy. The co-existence of diametrically opposite interpretations of the concept indicates lack of a serious discussion of its theoretical foundations. Two narratives on circular bioeconomy are explored in depth: (i) the new economic paradigm based on technological progress (the economics of technological promises) that seeks perpetual economic growth; (ii) an entropic (thermodynamic) narrative that reflects on the limits on economic growth imposed by nature. The latter narrative makes a distinction between primary, secondary and tertiary resource flows and helps to identify what can and cannot be re-circulated within the metabolic pattern of social-ecological systems. Adopting the biophysical view, it becomes clear that the industrial revolution represented a linearization of material and energy flows with the goal to overcome the low pace and density of biological transformations. The required level of productivity of production factors in contemporary developed economies (flows per hour of labor and per hectare of land use) is orders of magnitude larger than the pace and density of supply and sink capacity of natural processes. Relying on nature to ‘close the loop' will simply slow down the economic process.},

keywords = {Bioeconomy, Circular economy, Decoupling, Fund-flow model, Linearization, Metabolic pattern, Social-ecological ystem, Sustainable growth},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Vivien2019,

title = {The Hijacking of the Bioeconomy},

author = {F. -D. Vivien and M. Nieddu and N. Befort and R. Debref and M. Giampietro},

url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.01.027 https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0921800918308115},

doi = {10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.01.027},

issn = {09218009},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-05-01},

journal = {Ecological Economics},

volume = {159},

pages = {189--197},

publisher = {Elsevier},

abstract = {Georgescu-Roegen used the term bioeconomy to refer to a radical ecological perspective on economics he developed in the 1970s and 1980s. In recent years, it has also become a buzzword used by public institutions to announce and describe a supposed current economic and ecological transition. We see in this use an attempt of semantic hijacking of the original term. To support this claim we analyze three different interpretations of the term bioeconomy, presenting each of them as narratives combining distinct visions of future economic development, technical trajectories and imaginaries associated with a particular relationship to nature. Finally, we discuss these narratives in relation to the endorsement they receive by different stakeholders.},

keywords = {Bioeconomics, Bioeconomy, Biorefinery, Biotechnology, Georgescu-Roegen},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}