Er biomasse CO2-neutralt? Det spørgsmål kan man måske godt svare ja til, hvis man blot sørger for at tidshorisonten for beregningen er tilstrækkelig lang, og hvis man udelader nok fra sine beregninger. Men hvis der i stedet spørges om biomasse er klima-neutralt, så kan der kun svares nej. Hvis biomassen skal dyrkes i biomasseplantager, så vil der være plads til mindre natur. Der kan ofte være langt mellem den faktiske plantage og den natur, som må vige pladsen for udvidelse af det dyrkede landbrugs- eller plantageareal. Denne mekanisme kaldes for indirekte ændringer i arealanvendelsen. På verdensplan, så bidrager CO2 fra afskovning ifølge IPCC med omkring 11% af de globale drivhusgasudledninger.
Hvis biomasse kan høstes uden, at det påvirker det dyrkede areal, så kan det produceres uden, at det medfører indirekte ændringer i arealændringen. Eksempelvis kan rester, som trætoppe og store grene, fra tømmerproduktion i skovbruget fjernes uden, at det kræver mere areal. Klimaeffekten ved at fjerne skovrester er, at det lagrede kulstof i materialet udledes som CO2, når det brændes, og at en langsom nedbrydning og dermed CO2 emission undgås. Dette betyder netto, at afbrænding af biomasse baseret på skovrester fremrykker CO2 emissioner. Timingen af CO2 har betydning for miljøpåvirkningen.
We conducted a top-level assessment of greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions, water, and land use associated to production of the following protein sources:
This was achieved by means of a review of LCA literature, complemented with modelling done specifically for this study.
Recently, our first crowdfunded project on a comparative LCA of RSPO certified and non-certified palm oil was finalized. The study shows that RSPO certified palm oil emits 35% less GHG emissions and is associated with 20% less impacts on biodiversity compared to non-certified palm oil. These results are valid for the average of Indonesia and Malaysia in 2016. However, palm oil producers (certified or not) are not static, and neither are the effect of certification on producers as well as the criteria for being certified. E.g. it is expected that GHG emissions are further reduced in the future as a larger share of especially certified palm oil mills will install biogas capture in the palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment. Further, new RSPO criteria on no establishment of new oil palm on peat and no deforestation of high conservation value (HCV) land are expected to lead to lower the share of oil palm cultivation on peat and to higher shares of landbank set-aside as nature conservation.
Therefore, it is highly relevant to follow the development over time.
In additional to temporal differences in results, different countries and type of growers (estates and smallholders) will also have an influence on the impact of palm oil production. It is important to trace such differences in order to learn about the potential for improvement options in different producer segments.
Palm oil using companies are currently showcasing their contribution to GHG reductions due to their commitments of buying RSPO certified palm oil. They do this by using the results of our first crowdfunded project on the impact of RSPO certified palm oil for Indonesia and Malaysia in 2016. As the impact of RSPO certified versus non-certified palm oil is not static, it is important to consistently track the developments to make correct claims.
Become a partner of this project and contribute to the development of the next life cycle assessment (LCA) comparing RSPO certified palm oil to non-certified palm oil where results are tracked over time, per country and per type of grower (estates and smallholders).
The features of the project are:
The project was officially launched on 6th November 2019 with a platform presentation at the RSPO RT2019 conference in Bangkok. A scientific paper documenting the outcomes of the study will be submitted to a peer reviewed scientific journal in 2024.
Joining the new crowdfunded project will grant you access to all data and results, and you have access to influence the scope of the project.
The price of subscription is a one-time amount at 3,500 €. The funds from new subscriptions will be used to expand the scope of the project. For additional 2,000 € the results for a specific palm oil mill and its supply-base will be calculated and provided in a small report, including a comparison with the results of the main study.
For subscription (or questions), please contact us. To go to the club click here.
This report presents the executive summary of the first detailed life cycle assessment (LCA) study of palm oil production comparing the environmental impact of RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) certified sustainable palm oil with non- certified palm oil, as a cradle-to-gate LCA study. See project: LCA of Certified Palm Oil
The project covered:
In collaboration with DAMVAD Analytics and Goritas.
The final report (in Danish) can be read here.
The COP21 summit in Paris led to a policy commitment of limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5–2.0 °C and this can be translated to a global annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emission budget that is shrinking rapidly throughout the 21st century. Here, we estimate the reductions in GHG emission intensities of technologies that will be required for the embedded GHG emissions of a developed nation to stay within its fair share of a global emission budget in the year 2050. The estimates are made for different conceivable developments in consumption patterns in the case of Denmark, based on a large survey of current consumption patterns. To evaluate whether the required emission intensity reductions are likely to be met, they are compared to historic time series of emission intensities and to projections for 2050, based on policies currently in place, for ten technologies that have a high contribution to current GHG emissions.
We estimate that emission intensities must be reduced by factors of 2–12 and 5–14, depending on the development in consumption, for the 2.0 and 1.5 °C climate goals, respectively. Of the ten selected technologies, only electricity supply is projected to, partially, meet the most strict reduction target, applying to a scenario where all inhabitants in 2050 consume as the most consuming inhabitants today.
The results indicate that both a change in “consumption as usual” and in “business as usual” is needed for developed nations to meet equitable climate targets. This has implications for national and international policies targeting GHG emission intensities and may require a new orientation of policies to consider the societal structures around consumption.
This report is carried out by Jannick Schmidt (2.-0 LCA consultants, Denmark) for United Plantations Berhad (Teluk Intan, Malaysia). The study includes data collection and calculation of LCA results for United Plantations Berhad’s palm oil production 2004-2016. The study was undertaken during the period January to February 2017. The current report updates results of a series of previous studies to also including 2016, and it summarises the main findings of a detailed life cycle assessment report of palm oil production at United Plantations 2004-2016: Schmidt (2017), Life cycle assessment of Palm Oil at United plantations Berhad 2017, Results for 2004-2016. United Plantations Berhad, Teluk Intan, Malaysia.
