Life cycle assessment of decarbonization options—towards scientifically robust carbon neutrality
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This study investigated the relationship between fertilizer nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P) surpluses and economic development on the regional level in China. With a balanced panel dataset covering 30 provinces of mainland China from 1988 to 2019, we employed panel cointegrating polynomial regression (CPR) analysis using fully modified OLS (FM-OLS) estimators. Our results suggested that all provinces exhibit a long-run cointegrated relationship between fertilizer surpluses and real per capita gross regional product (GRP). A total of 22 provinces out of 30 showed a significant inverted U-shaped environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). Among those, 14 provinces are considered to have reached the peak and 8 provinces are considered to be before the peak. The group-mean turning points on the EKC are CNY 7022, CNY 9726, CNY 4697, CNY 3749, and CNY 5588 per capita GRP (1978 = 100) for the Northeast, Northcentral, Middle, and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, Southwest and Northwest China, respectively. The overall turning point of China is CNY 6705 per capita real gross domestic product (GDP), which was reached in circa 2012. This shows a general improvement of chemical fertilizer management in China. However, six provinces still exhibit linear growth in fertilizer surpluses when the economy grows. These regions are characterized by high cash-crop ratios and are mostly located along the southeast coast. Therefore, more effort and attention should be given to these regions to promote further fertilizer reduction. At the same time, nutrient use efficiencies should be improved, especially for cash crops such as fruit and vegetables.
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Carbon neutrality is a twenty-first-century trend that can integrate a life cycle perspective into organizational and decision-making environments, although pure life cycle assessments have not yet accomplished this goal.
“Additionally, carbon neutrality is a twenty-first-century trend that can integrate a life cycle perspective into organizational and decision-making environments, although pure life cycle assessments have not yet accomplished this goal (Finkbeiner and Bach 2021).”
From Strategies to achieve a carbon neutral society: a review (2022) · cites this paper as Finkbeiner and Bach 2021
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The New International Standards for Life Cycle Assessment: ISO 14040 and ISO 14044
Finkbeiner, M., Inaba, A., Tan, R. B. H., Christiansen, K., & Klüppel, H.-J. (2006) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1065/lca2006.02.002 · Cited by 1,237 · see citing works
Self-citationCarbon footprinting—opportunities and threats
Finkbeiner, M. (2009) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/s11367-009-0064-x · Cited by 358 · see citing works
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Self-citationChallenges in Life Cycle Assessment: An Overview of Current Gaps and Research Needs
Finkbeiner, M., Ackermann, R., Bach, V., Berger, M., Brankatschk, G., Chang, Y.-J., Grinberg, M., Lehmann, A., Martínez-Blanco, J., Minkov, N., et al. (2014) · LCA Compendium – The Complete World of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/978-94-017-8697-3_7 · Cited by 122 · see citing works
Self-citationFrom the 40s to the 70s—the future of LCA in the ISO 14000 family
Finkbeiner, M. (2012) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/s11367-012-0492-x · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Self-citationGalatola, M., & Pant, R. (2014) · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · doi:10.1007/s11367-014-0740-3 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) Pilot Phase—Comparability over Flexibility?
Bach, V., Lehmann, A., Goermer, M., & Finkbeiner, M. (2018) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su10082898 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Self-citationProduct environmental footprint in policy and market decisions: Applicability and impact assessment
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Carbon Offsets: An LCA Perspective
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Strategies to achieve a carbon neutral society: a review
Chen, L., Msigwa, G., Yang, M., Osman, A. I., Fawzy, S., Rooney, D. W., & Yap, P.-S. (2022) · Environmental Chemistry Letters · doi:10.1007/s10311-022-01435-8 · Cited by 1,326 · see citing works
- Authors
- Finkbeiner, M., & Bach, V.
- Affiliations
- Technische Universität Berlin (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Finkbeiner, Matthias
- Venue
- The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment
- Published
- 2021-04
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 635-639
- ISSN
- 0948-3349 (ISSN-L)
- 1614-7502
- OpenAlex
- W4253647883
- Cited by
- 72
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 6
- FWCI
- 3.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- DepositOnce (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Informationszentrum Lebenswissenschaften (ZB MED) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Technische Universität Berlin – Universitätsbibliothek (cc-by)
- The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment
- Funders
- Technische Universität Berlin
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Energy, Environment, Economic Growth
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Sustainable Agricultural Systems Analysis
- Keywords
- environmental Kuznets curve, economic development, carbon neutrality, decarbonization, nutrient use efficiency, cash crops, regional gross domestic product, turning points, Yangtze River region, Chinese provinces
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