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Understanding land use impacts of croplands on biodiversity through UNEP's Global Guidance for Life Cycle Impact Assessment

Coelho, Carla R.V. LU orcid ; Börjesson, Pål LU and Smith, Henrik G. LU orcid (2025) In Resources, Conservation and Recycling 222.
Abstract

In a global retrospective assessment, this study quantifies the potential impacts of croplands on biodiversity using the UNEP-Life Cycle Initiative's recommended method for land use that was proposed by the GLAM consensus working group for Global Guidance for Life Cycle Impact Assessment Indicators and Methods. The findings show the importance of using tools that account for both occupied area and the potential impact of each specific location. Approximately 20 countries account for 75 % of the potential land-use impact on biodiversity. While countries with large areas occupied by cropland contributed most to the overall impact, some countries with relatively low contributions to the area occupied contributed disproportionately. The... (More)

In a global retrospective assessment, this study quantifies the potential impacts of croplands on biodiversity using the UNEP-Life Cycle Initiative's recommended method for land use that was proposed by the GLAM consensus working group for Global Guidance for Life Cycle Impact Assessment Indicators and Methods. The findings show the importance of using tools that account for both occupied area and the potential impact of each specific location. Approximately 20 countries account for 75 % of the potential land-use impact on biodiversity. While countries with large areas occupied by cropland contributed most to the overall impact, some countries with relatively low contributions to the area occupied contributed disproportionately. The study explores critical methodological considerations, such as the risk of double-counting impact drivers when using endpoint indicators, the need for more precise land-use intensity classifications, and the current limitations of characterization factors in guiding biodiversity impact mitigation strategies.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Biodiversity impacts, Croplands, Land use, Life cycle assessment, Life cycle impact assessment, Occupation impacts
in
Resources, Conservation and Recycling
volume
222
article number
108420
pages
10 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:105007431946
ISSN
0921-3449
DOI
10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108420
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s)
id
56a77a77-b94f-401d-9747-82604613876a
date added to LUP
2025-06-19 10:00:20
date last changed
2025-06-19 11:47:47
@article{56a77a77-b94f-401d-9747-82604613876a,
  abstract     = {{<p>In a global retrospective assessment, this study quantifies the potential impacts of croplands on biodiversity using the UNEP-Life Cycle Initiative's recommended method for land use that was proposed by the GLAM consensus working group for Global Guidance for Life Cycle Impact Assessment Indicators and Methods. The findings show the importance of using tools that account for both occupied area and the potential impact of each specific location. Approximately 20 countries account for 75 % of the potential land-use impact on biodiversity. While countries with large areas occupied by cropland contributed most to the overall impact, some countries with relatively low contributions to the area occupied contributed disproportionately. The study explores critical methodological considerations, such as the risk of double-counting impact drivers when using endpoint indicators, the need for more precise land-use intensity classifications, and the current limitations of characterization factors in guiding biodiversity impact mitigation strategies.</p>}},
  author       = {{Coelho, Carla R.V. and Börjesson, Pål and Smith, Henrik G.}},
  issn         = {{0921-3449}},
  keywords     = {{Biodiversity impacts; Croplands; Land use; Life cycle assessment; Life cycle impact assessment; Occupation impacts}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Resources, Conservation and Recycling}},
  title        = {{Understanding land use impacts of croplands on biodiversity through UNEP's Global Guidance for Life Cycle Impact Assessment}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108420}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108420}},
  volume       = {{222}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}