Environmental impact assessment of energy crops cultivation in the Mediterranean Europe

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa Para a obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Energia e Bioenergia

Energy crops offer ecological advantages over fossil fuels by contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases and acidifying emissions. However, there could be ecological shortcomings related to the intensity of agricultural production. There is a risk of polluting water and air, losing soil quality, enhancing erosion and reducing biodiversity. In the scope of the project Future Crops for Food, Feed, Fiber and Fuel (4F Crops), supported by the European Union, an environmental impact assessment study was developed and applied to the cultivation of potential energy crops in the Mediterranean Europe. The categories selected were: use of water and mineral resources, soil quality and erosion, emission of minerals and pesticides to soil and water, waste generation and utilization, landscape and biodiversity. Results suggest that annual cropping systems have a more negative impact on the environment than lignocellulosic and woody species, namely regarding erodibility and biodiversity. Annual systems and woody crops are also more damaging to soil quality than herbaceous perennials. However, differences among crop types are not as evident in the remaining indicators. Impact reduction strategies are limited to crop management options, but, site specific factors should be accurately assessed to evaluate the adequacy between crop and location.

This work was supported by the European Union (Project 4F Crops – Future Crops for Food, Feed, Fiber and Fuel, Grant Agreement No: 212811, Coordination and Support Actions, FP7-KBBE-2007-1)