Comparing the Carbon Footprint of Conventional and Organic Vineyards in Northern Italy

Abstract

The carbon footprint is an index used to assess the impact of an activity in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. Viticulture contributes to greenhouse gas emissions due to the use of fuels, fertilizers and pesticides, and the consequent soil erosion. Organic viticulture differs from conventional viticulture, mainly because of the absence of synthetic products, the soil tillage, and the level of organic carbon in the soil. The purpose of the study was to determine the actual differences between conventional and organic vineyard management in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, comparing multiannual data from 25 wineries in northern Italy. No statistically significant differences were found between the overall mean values of conventional and organic management. In organically farmed vineyards, a higher incidence of fuel consumption was observed, while in conventionally farmed vineyards higher emissions were observed, due to the use of such products as pesticides and fertilizers. No differences were found between the two management systems in terms of emissions resulting from direct fertilizing. Further assessment of the potential sequestration of organic fertilizer would be necessary.

Lignocellulosic Residues from Fruit Trees: Availability, Characterization, and Energetic Potential Valorization

“…The data in columns E and G were processed by the National Agency for the Protection of the Environment (ANPA) and the National Observatory on Waste (ONR). In column E, only pruning waste was considered, while in column G, contributions of wood at the end of the production cycle were considered [18]. The two separated datasets were obtained based on the calculation of regional masses of residues from the statistical data relating to agricultural production, integrated with the bibliographic data on the relationship between the number of residues per unit of product (by-product/product ratio).…”

“…All data reported by ISTAT [17] were compared with other data from other sources regarding the area cultivated in Italy. The joint report by the National Agency for the Protection of the Environment (ANPA) and the National Observatory on Waste (ONR) entitled "Waste in the agro-food sector-Sector study" [18] was used to collect data. According to this report, in Italy, 15,000 ha of land is allocated to apricots, 95,000 ha to peach, 12,000 ha to plums, 65,000 ha to apples, 45,000 ha to pears, and 70,000 ha to hazelnut orchards.…”

Exploring the Influence of Diverse Viticultural Systems on Soil Health Metrics in the Northern Black Sea Region

“…Organic grape production is governed by several parameters that may differ according to the certification system. However, the basic principles of organic agriculture are the use of natural resources for the protection and fertilization (mineral products and plant products) and the rejection of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers [9].…”

Accounting and Decomposition of Energy Footprint: Evidence from 28 Sectors in China

“…The ecological footprint is an indicator that affects global climate change [1]. The development of a low-carbon economy and a circular economy and the realization of green recovery have become world trends.…”

“…The possible contributions of this paper are as follows: (1) This paper selects the EF as a comprehensive indicator to measure energy conservation and emission reduction, which can also be used to characterize the impacts of energy consumption on human society and the ecological environment. (2) Based on the producer responsibility principle, the concept of the CBEF is proposed, and the CBEF accounting standard is constructed.…”