Autor(es): Andreas Link, Ian Vázquez Rowe y otros
Purpose:
The aim of this paper is to report and document the models integrated into the ecosystem quality part of the first life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) version of the GLAM (Global Guidance for Life Cycle Impact Assessment Indicators and Methods) project. The focus is on endpoint models, and all included models provide characterization factors related to the loss of species richness, indicated in potentially disappeared fraction of species (PDF·yr).
Methods:
In the scoping phase eight impact categories have been identified as being of relevance and provided recent methodological developments that were mature enough to be included in the consensus model within GLAM. These include ecotoxicity, land use, water consumption, eutrophication (individually for marine and freshwater ecosystems), aquatic microplastic pollution, terrestrial acidification and climate change (individual models for terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems). Apart from harmonizing and developing these models, aspects of vulnerability have been included by further developing and applying the global extinction probability (GEP) concept.
Results and discussion:
The eight impact categories provide in total more than 500 000 characterization factors (CFs) at country and global scale for the GLAM research version 1.1.2025.11, representing potential global species loss. Five of the impact categories (land use, water consumption, marine and freshwater eutrophication and terrestrial acidification) provide values at country levels as well as global averages. The other three (ecotoxicity, climate change and aquatic microplastics pollution) provide global CFs only. Climate change and marine eutrophication provide average CFs only, terrestrial acidification only marginal while all the others provide average and marginal CFs.
Conclusions:
The covered impact categories for the first time consistently represent potential global species losses in terms of PDF.
Autor(es): Ramzy Kahhat Abedrabbo y otros
Addressing plastic pollution requires understanding of the drivers shaping material flows and waste generation. This study applies Statistical Entropy Analysis to evaluate its potential as a circular economy metric to quantify disorder within plastic systems and identify its drivers. Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos Archipelago, was used as a bounded system to empirically test Statistical Entropy Analysis within a real-world plastic consumption system. A mixed methods approach combined maritime imports data, shop audits, litter transects, recycling characterization and human movement tracking. Statistical analyses were used to examine the relationships between system characteristic and plastic systems, followed by Statistical Entropy Analysis to assess system disorder. Results showed that packaging, particularly multi-material, is a major contributor to low circularity and increased system disorder. Litter distribution was more strongly associated with area characteristics rather than with human movement, with higher accumulation in commercial and recreational areas, while the presence of bike paths was linked to reduced littering. Statistical Entropy values were highest in leaked plastic systems, especially in urban areas, and lowest in recycling streams due to material separation. Supermarkets’ products exhibited higher statistical entropy due to packaging complexity. System disorder is shaped by spatial context, retail format, product design and consumption preferences, highlighting the need for targeted upstream and downstream interventions. Compared with conventional circular economy metrics focused on resource efficiency, statistical entropy analysis captures material dispersion and mixing, providing a complementary and comparable indicator of circularity across contexts. This study supports the design of policies and business strategies for circularity.
Descargar publicación (4,57 MB)Autor(es): Rubén Manrique, Alejandro Deville del Águila, Ramzy Kahhat Abedrabbo, Ian Vázquez Rowe
Purpose:
Biodiversity impacts of the Peruvian fisheries, strongly influenced by El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), are not fully covered by current life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) models. While the recently developed Fisheries Impact Pathway (FIP) accounts for the impacts of marine biotic resource depletion, key methodological challenges, such as temporality, critical for impact assessment in dynamic fisheries, remain unattended. In the current study, we aim to develop characterization factors (CFs) for 10 relevant Peruvian fishing stocks, including Peruvian anchoveta, using an enhanced FIP framework.
Methods:
The methodological framework includes 1) optimization of CMSY++ performance using an exhaustive statistical analysis, to provide reliable estimates for subsequent CF calculations; 2) calculation of CF time series under an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) approach; and, 3) statistical evaluation of enhanced CFs comprising typical uncertainty and sensitivity analyses, along with other tests addressing ecological soundness and stock management; and, 4) application of CFs in case studies to quantify biodiversity impacts from fishing for direct and indirect human consumption.
Results and discussion:
Enhanced CFs deviate up to 4 orders of magnitude from previously reported values, usually showing lower values. These CFs also exhibit weak-moderate statistical correlation with typical ENSO indices, with sea level anomalies showing the strongest relationship. Furthermore, case studies framed in the Peruvian EEZ confirm the relevance of the enhanced CFs, unveiling significant differences in fishing impacts of stocks destined to direct human consumption during years with El Niño and La Niña events, and additional LCIA impacts, ranging from 0.1% to 61% in fishmeal and fish oil production among plants of a major producer, during years 2019 and 2021. Together, these findings suggest that addressing temporality is critical to refine LCIA results, especially in systems with highly dynamic parameters.
Conclusions and recommendations:
The enhanced CF time series more accurately represents stock population dynamics, under fluctuating climatic stressors and management regimes, than the original FIP method. Thus, our method responds to the call of international LCA guidelines for regionalized and temporally explicit impact assessment. We recommend using these CFs to assess biotic resource depletion in Peruvian seafood and aquaculture systems, and extending our methodology to other EEZs affected by similar ecosystem dynamics and fishing pressure.
Autor(es): Eizo Muñoz Sovero, Ramzy Kahhat Abedrabbo, Alejandro Deville del Águila, Diana Ita Nagy, Ian Vázquez Rowe y David Gonzales
Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities have historically been difficult to detect due to a lack of adequate monitoring and surveillance technologies. In recent years, advances in computational capacity and the growing availability of fleet tracking datasets have enabled the development of algorithm-based tools for monitoring fishing activity. Additionally, satellite geolocation systems, such as Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) and Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS), have been implemented across multiple fishing fleets worldwide, further enhancing surveillance capabilities. The current study proposes the combined use of AIS and VMS data with satellite imagery to detect and characterize IUU activities of foreign fishing vessels targeting the tuna fishery in the Peruvian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the year 2022. Fishing effort was quantitatively characterized according to permit compliance considering three categories of IUU activities: fishing beyond the permit timeframe, inside a marine protected area (MPA), or without a valid permit. Out of a total sample of 61 vessels evaluated, 56 were detected fishing within the Peruvian EEZ, of which 47 operated within allowed permit lengths, 6 exceeded their authorized days within the EEZ, and 3 had no permit at all. However, of the 47 vessels complying with their permit timeframes, 16 engaged in IUU fishing within the Dorsal de Nasca MPA. These results revealed distinct behavioral patterns of fishing effort not only within the Peruvian EEZ, but also within the broader Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Ir al enlaceAutor(es): Red Peruana Ciclo de Vida
Descargar publicación (1,37 MB)Autor(es): Alvaro Elorrieta y otros
The circular economy is increasingly recognised as a multidimensional paradigm that goes beyond reducing waste and recycling, encompassing systemic design, regenerative practices, socio-technical innovation, and equity considerations. This study examines Peru’s efforts to transition towards circularity as a representative emerging economy in Latin America, based on 15 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from academia, policymaking, business, and non-governmental organisations. It provides new empirical insights by identifying context-specific drivers and barriers not previously reported in the literature. The analysis identifies barriers such as limited consumer awareness, weak enforcement of regulations, technological gaps, and financial constraints affecting especially micro, small, and medium enterprises. Drivers and strengths include international cooperation, biodiversity, ancestral knowledge, and emerging policies. The government, European agencies, and civil society emerge as central actors in this transition. Conceptually, the study offers a novel contribution by adapting Schlossberg’s transition theory, traditionally applied in psychology and education, to the field of sustainability. Findings emphasise the need to raise awareness, foster a cross-sectoral and decentralised regulatory framework with clear responsibilities, enforcement, and accountability mechanisms, promote targeted investments, and design policies that integrate informal sectors. This research contributes to both theory and practice: methodologically by extending transition theory to sustainability studies, and empirically by providing the first multi-stakeholder analysis of CE in Peru, offering insights for policymakers seeking to balance environmental and economic goals.
Ir al enlaceAutor(es): Red Peruana Ciclo de Vida
La Economía Circular es una de las estrategias que permiten el desarrollo sostenible de un país asegurando el bienestar de la población. La investigación científica es clave para la adecuada aplicación de este modelo económico, de modo que se produzca un crecimiento económico en el país, mientras se avanza hacia modelos de sociedad más sostenibles. En este sentido, la universidad se presenta como el principal impulsor de la investigación, la cual, a través de su trabajo permite allanar el camino hacia el desarrollo sostenible de un país. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo determinar el estado de la investigación en la educación superior del Perú en materia de Economía Circular. Para ello se realizó un análisis bibliométrico de artículos y tesis de pregrado y posgrado, utilizando las bases de datos Scopus y Renati, respectivamente. Los resultados demostraron un crecimiento en la capacidad de producción de conocimiento en Economía Circular en universidades peruanas. Asimismo, se hallaron amplias brechas entre la producción de instituciones públicas versus privadas, así como departamentales, donde se destaca el problema de la centralización en el Perú. Se encontró una tendencia a investigaciones colaborativas, sobre todo con España y Canadá. Finalmente, se determinó que el enfoque de los trabajos de investigación en Economía Circular dentro del Perú suele ser el más tradicional, la gestión de residuos sólidos.
Descargar publicación (2,42 MB)Autor(es): Úrsula Cárdenas Mamani, Ramzy Kahhat Abedrabbo y Alessia Linares-Capurro, Tomer Fishman
Urban infrastructure is crucial for socio-economic development, yet the link between construction material stocks and societal needs in rapidly growing Global South cities remains insufficiently understood. This study conducts a spatially explicit analysis of Lima, Peru, mapping material stocks for buildings dedicated to shelter, education, healthcare, and collective amenities, and relates them to Decent Living Standard (DLS) thresholds and income levels. Results show that heavily populated, low-income, informal areas accumulate greater material stocks but suffer from poorer access to essential services, driven primarily by population demand. In higher-income zones, per-capita living space becomes more significant. This reveals socio-metabolic inequality, as material-intensive expansion in marginalized neighborhoods does not translate into improved well-being. Service privatization and informality exacerbate unequal access. The study concludes by recommending additional factors for future research to refine the understanding of material stocks and service provision relationships in urban contexts.
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