Region-specific indicators for assessing the sustainability of biomass utilisation in East Asia

Journal article

Authors/Editors

SHABBIR H. GHEEWALA

Strategic Research Themes

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Publication Details

Author list: Kudoh Y., Sagisaka M., Chen S.S., Elauria J.C., Gheewala S.H., Hasanudin U., Romero J., Sharma V.K., Shi X.

Publisher: MDPI

Publication year: 2015

Journal: Sustainability (2071-1050)

Volume number: 7

Issue number: 12

Start page: 16237

End page: 16259

Number of pages: 23

ISSN: 2071-1050

eISSN: 2071-1050

URL: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84952321728&doi=10.3390%2fsu71215813&partnerID=40&md5=35716213685ee5df8a5f0846f049bd13

Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)

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Abstract

This paper presents the findings of an expert working group of researchers from East Asian countries. The group was tasked with developing a theoretically sound and practically implementable methodology for assessing the sustainability of biomass utilisation in East Asian countries based on the needs and potential of biomass resources in this region. Building on six years of research conducted between 2007 and 2013, the working group formulated a set of main and secondary indicators for biomass utilisation under three pillars of sustainability. For the environmental pillar, the main indicator was life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and secondary indicators were water consumption and soil quality. For the economic pillar, the main indicator was total value added and secondary indicators were net profit, productivity, and net energy balance. For the social pillar, the main indicators were employment generation and access to modern energy, and the secondary indicator was the human development index. The application of the working group methodology and indicators in sustainability assessments of biomass utilisation will enable decision makers in East Asian countries to compare the sustainability of biomass utilisation options and to make decisions on whether or not to launch or sustain biomass utilisation initiatives. ฉ 2015 by the authors, licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Keywords

Biomass utilisation, East Asian countries, Sustainability assessment, Sustainability indicators, Triple bottom line