Methodologies for quantifying the environmental sustainability of crop production

The course aims to provide analytical tools for measuring and assessing the environmental impact of arboreal and herbaceous crops. The main indicators used for environmental impact quantification, such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), carbon footprint, and water footprint, will be thoroughly examined. The course adopts a strongly applied approach, making the contribution of colleagues specializing in arboreal and herbaceous crops essential.

At the end of the course, the student will have acquired a sound understanding of the principles of sustainable development and the main environmental regulations, with particular reference to the ISO 14000 series. The students will be able to autonomously apply the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology for quantifying and assessing the environmental impact of plant production including carbon and water footprint. Through a strongly applicative approach, the student will be able to use open-source software such as OpenLCA to perform environmental analyses and quantitative assessments of agricultural products and systems.
Furthermore, the student will develop the ability to critically apply models for estimating carbon storage in various cropping systems and assessing water resource consumption in relation to crop production. Particular attention will be given to the development of critical and operational skills: the student will be able to interpret and analyse the results obtained, formulate proposals for improvement in a sustainable way and present their work effectively. Practical and group activities will foster the development of transversal skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and the ability to work in a team.