Sustainable Development of Aquaculture: Life Cycle Assessment of Carbon Footprint Different Production System in Germany
Aquaculture is the fastest growing animal food-producing sector in the world that employs different production systems to rear aquatic organisms. This relatively new industry has been blamed for its impact on the environment, especially with the environmental impacts of the intensive productions systems such as flow-through and recirculation system. The limited research and accounting tools available make it difficult to quantify the impact on the environment. In Germany, the use of these production systems may contribute to the impact of aquaculture on the environment; and regulations are stringent in order to avoid such impacts without informed expert contributions and recommendations, thereby affecting the growth of aquaculture production in the country.
This project will employ a modified ecological footprint calculating method to calculate the carbon footprint of aquaculture on the environment. It will use the life cycle analysis (LCA) tool to quantify the carbon budget of aquaculture between the different production systems practiced in Germany. The result will be useful in both fundamental and applied implications of environmental impact of aquaculture with regards to climate change. The development of accounting tools for greenhouse gas emission from aquaculture help in developing a refined calculation methodology and model that enables the determination of aquaculture´s carbon footprint. This will, in turn support to make informed decisions and recommendations in aquaculture development by decision makers and consumers in Germany and elsewhere.
Biniam Samuel Fitwi
|Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel|