Publications
The energy metabolism of post-industrial economies. A framework to account for externalization across scales Journal Article
Ripa, M.; Felice, L. J. Di; Giampietro, M.
In: Energy, 214 , pp. 118943, 2021, ISSN: 03605442.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Energy sector, Externalization, Multi-scale analysis, MuSIASEM, Societal metabolism
@article{Ripa2021,
title = {The energy metabolism of post-industrial economies. A framework to account for externalization across scales},
author = {M. Ripa and L. J. Di Felice and M. Giampietro},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0360544220320508},
doi = {10.1016/j.energy.2020.118943},
issn = {03605442},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-01-01},
journal = {Energy},
volume = {214},
pages = {118943},
abstract = {Post-industrial societies heavily rely on the consumption of embodied energy for their activities \textendash i.e., energy invested elsewhere to produce what is imported and consumed (or re-exported). The openness of the energy sector poses modelling challenges, calling for multi-scale, integrated analytical frames. We propose a methodology grounded in societal metabolism aimed at analysing the behaviour of a system (where the system may be a region, a country, a continent, etc.). We make the distinction between three types of scales necessary to contextualize the behaviour of the energy sector within a globalized economy: the macroscope, the mesoscope and the microscope. The methodology is applied to analyze the energy sector of EU19 countries, considering internal and external labour, primary energy sources, energy carriers and GHG emissions. The results show that imported primary energy sources and energy carriers within the EU19 are associated with externalized pressures and impacts. For example, accounting for the externalized carbon emissions of the energy sector raises total GHG emissions of the sector by 60% on EU average. This has implications for the assessment of the effectiveness of global sustainability policies. By not accounting for externalized effects, energy models can miss relevant information about the interactions among systems.},
keywords = {Energy sector, Externalization, Multi-scale analysis, MuSIASEM, Societal metabolism},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Environmental pressure of the European agricultural system: Anticipating the biophysical consequences of internalization Journal Article
Renner, Ansel; Cadillo-Benalcazar, Juan José; Benini, Lorenzo; Giampietro, Mario
In: Ecosystem Services, 46 , pp. 101195, 2020, ISSN: 22120416.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Agroecosystem, Anticipation, Complexity, Externalization, Nexus analysis, Teleconnections
@article{Renner2020,
title = {Environmental pressure of the European agricultural system: Anticipating the biophysical consequences of internalization},
author = {Ansel Renner and Juan Jos\'{e} Cadillo-Benalcazar and Lorenzo Benini and Mario Giampietro},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2212041620301376},
doi = {10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101195},
issn = {22120416},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-12-01},
journal = {Ecosystem Services},
volume = {46},
pages = {101195},
abstract = {textcopyright 2020 The Author(s) In the European Union, national-scope efforts to protect local ecosystem services are greatly helped by the externalization of agricultural production. Domestic environmental pressures such as pesticide residue, fertilizer leakage and waterbody overdraft would all significantly increase if European agricultural production were to be re-localized. Those increases would add additional stress on local habitats, soils and freshwater reserves. This work addresses such concerns by anticipating pressure increases associated with a near-complete re-internalization of agricultural production in the European Union. Our results could prove relevant in the event of an end of the era of cheap food imports, or when considering the plausibility of economic circularization efforts (such as suggested by the European Green Deal). Rather than produce quantitative results determined by a given set of supposedly uncontested pre-analytical assumptions, this work presents an innovative approach to scientific representation capable of accommodating several possible results driven by contradictory yet equally legitimate insights. According to our characterization of the option space, which builds on current trade profiles and assumes business as usual change in technical coefficients, a near-complete re-internalization of agricultural production by European Union member states is not environmentally feasible. In relation to social viability, the required changes in social practices would include a significant increase in the share of agricultural workers in the economy and important dietary adjustments.},
keywords = {Agroecosystem, Anticipation, Complexity, Externalization, Nexus analysis, Teleconnections},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
AGAUR Grant ID 2017 SGR 230 / Copyright © 2023