Coupling agent-based modeling with territorial LCA to support agricultural land-use planning

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is applied to assess large-scale systems supporting policymaking. However, most LCA studies focused on evaluating the impacts of policies and strategic planning a static basis ignoring dynamic nature territory in which are implemented. This study aims develop territorial approach, linking agent-based modeling (ABM) with approach. ABM widely used tool simulate emerging considering human factors, recently developed approach featuring assessing multi-functional territories. To prove concept, framework was implemented case promoting bioenergy crops an agricultural southern region Belgium (Wallonia), farm size, familiarity, revenue. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) employed site-specific environmental individual decisions. The contrasts spatial temporal dynamics if implementing demonstration farms at different locations, assuming adopters will be provided subsidies over simulation time, farmers’ familiarities increase when nearby farmers turn into adopters. results show that initial locations for would lead level. Such knowledge interactions between behaviors land-use scenarios could bring insights policymaking, reasonable land Besides, by employing GIS estimate spatially explicit inventory unit processes, this work fills research gap lack application LCA, ABM, together. Further conducted to, e.g., explore introduction multiple use functions (besides production) various policy schemes, enhance socio-economic impact assessment, combine other approaches support decision making, participatory optimization.