Implications of alternative greenhouse gas metrics for life cycle assessments of livestock food products.

摘要: Life cycle assessments of livestock food products incorporate emissions different greenhouse gases (GHGs) with very physical properties. These are commonly aggregated into a single unit, called “CO2-equivalent”, using the 100-year Global Warming Potential. However, an increasing literature emphasizes that many alternative metrics can be justified to compare GHGs and would result in substantially weighting for methane relative nitrous oxide carbon dioxide. We demonstrate GHG metric choices materially alter difference associated organic, high-input conventional dairy farms; shift differences footprints ruminant non-ruminant meat products. conclude characterization certain farm systems as more or less climate-friendly reflects, part, implicit value judgments made selection metrics.