Monitoring the Sustainability of the EU Biomass Supply: A Novel Hybrid Approach Combining Tracing and Selected Sustainability Impacts

Paola Pozo (), Matthias Bösch and Jörg Schweinle
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Paola Pozo: Thuenen Institute of Forestry, Leuschnerstraße 91, 21031 Hamburg, Germany
Matthias Bösch: Thuenen Institute of Forestry, Leuschnerstraße 91, 21031 Hamburg, Germany
Jörg Schweinle: Thuenen Institute of Forestry, Leuschnerstraße 91, 21031 Hamburg, Germany

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-11

Abstract: In an attempt to make a first step toward monitoring the sustainability of wood as (one of) the main element(s) of the EU biomass supply, a novel approach combining a physical accounting model with a material flow–life cycle assessment approach was used to trace the locations of origin of the wood and the associated sustainability impacts. Applying this approach to EU trade data from 2018, we found that around one-third of the wood fiber input in finished paper products consumed in the EU was imported. The main countries of origin were Brazil, the United States and Uruguay. We used Uruguay as a case study of an important country that provides wood pulp to assess the associated sustainability impacts. The results reveal synergies and trade-offs between employment, value added and environmental impacts. We highlight the need to analyze sustainability impacts in different dimensions of sustainability and consider not only territorial impacts in isolation but also from a global perspective in order to have a more holistic overview. Future extensions of the approach could include the coverage of other commodities, additional impacts along the global supply chain (e.g., post-use) and additional sustainability indicators.

Keywords: bioeconomy monitoring; sustainable consumption; sustainable production; wood pulp; Uruguay; EU; trade (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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