Short answer

Quantify the physical resource flows and environmental impacts associated with your product's entire supply chain to identify key areas for sustainable intervention.

Field
Resource Management
Source
Environmental Science & Technology (2019)
Method
Input-Output Modeling
Sample
191 countries, 130 products
Evidence
Strong effect

Detailed input-output modeling of biomass flows in the global food and agriculture sector can quantify consumption-based resource demands, highlighting shifts in environmental pressures across countries. This resource management research insight is drawn from a 2019 study published in Environmental Science & Technology. Using Input-output modeling with 191 countries, 130 products, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Quantify the physical resource flows and environmental impacts associated with your product's entire supply chain to identify key areas for sustainable intervention.

Study
Resource ManagementHigh ImpactStrong effect

Global Biomass Flow Mapping Reveals Shifting Cropland Footprints

Detailed input-output modeling of biomass flows in the global food and agriculture sector can quantify consumption-based resource demands, highlighting shifts in environmental pressures across countries.

Environmental Science & Technology · 2019

01

Key Findings

  • 01The FABIO model provides a comprehensive, transparent, and flexible structure for organizing data on material flows within metabolic networks.
  • 02It allows for tracing of biomass flows and associated environmental pressures along global supply chains with detailed product and country specificity.
  • 03Analysis of cropland footprints revealed evolving consumption-based demand for plant-based and livestock-based food and nonfood products in China, the EU, and the USA.
02

Application

Design takeaway

Quantify the physical resource flows and environmental impacts associated with your product's entire supply chain to identify key areas for sustainable intervention.

How to apply

When designing products that utilize agricultural or forestry-derived materials, investigate the origin and processing of these materials to understand their full resource footprint.

Project actions

  • 01Consider the origin and processing of materials in your design project.
  • 02Think about how your design choices might impact resource use in different parts of the world.
03

Method & Evidence

AimTo develop and apply a multiregional input-output model in physical units to document and analyze the complex flows of agricultural and food products within the global economy, specifically to trace cropland footprints based on consumption.
MethodInput-Output Modeling
ProcedureThe FABIO model was constructed using FAOSTAT statistics on crop production, trade, and utilization in physical units, combined with data on conversion efficiencies. This data was integrated into a balanced input-output framework covering 191 countries and 130 products from 1986 to 2013. The model was then applied to analyze consumption-based cropland demand evolution in China, the EU, and the USA.
Sample191 countries, 130 products
ContextGlobal Food and Agriculture Supply Chains

Variables

IVConsumption patterns in different regions (China, EU, USA)
DVCropland footprint (demand for land)
CVProduct types (plant-based, livestock-based, food, nonfood), time period (1986-2013), geographical scope (191 countries)
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Comprehensive global coverage of countries and products.
  • +Use of physical units provides a direct measure of resource flows.
  • +Transparent and flexible framework for data organization.

Limitations

Data availability and accuracy can be a challenge when trying to map complex global flows.

Reliability & validity

The reliability of the model depends on the accuracy and consistency of the FAOSTAT data and conversion efficiency estimates. Validity is supported by its ability to trace physical flows and provide detailed insights into resource consumption patterns.

Think critically

How might the shifting cropland footprints identified in this study influence future agricultural practices and land use policies, and what are the design implications of these potential changes?

05

Design Principles

"Map and analyze the physical flow of materials through global supply chains to understand and mitigate resource consumption and environmental impact."

Understanding the physical flow of biomass from production to consumption is crucial for identifying resource bottlenecks and environmental impacts within complex global supply chains. This insight enables designers and engineers to make more informed decisions regarding material sourcing, waste reduction, and the overall sustainability of their products and systems.

06

What This Means for Your Design

This study created a map of how food and farm products move around the world, showing where the land used for these products is located based on what people are buying.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Reference this study when discussing the environmental impact of material sourcing or the lifecycle assessment of a product.
  • 2.Use the concept of input-output modeling to justify your own analysis of resource flows in your design project.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The FABIO model demonstrates the utility of input-output analysis in physical units for understanding complex global biomass flows. This approach allows for the tracing of material lifecycles and associated environmental pressures, providing critical insights into consumption-based resource footprints. Such detailed mapping is essential for identifying leverage points for sustainable design and resource management within intricate supply chains.

09

Source

Environmental Science & Technology

FABIO—The Construction of the Food and Agriculture Biomass Input–Output Model

journal · 2019

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about global biomass flow mapping reveals shifting cropland footprints?
Quantify the physical resource flows and environmental impacts associated with your product's entire supply chain to identify key areas for sustainable intervention. Evidence: Environmental Science & Technology (2019).
Why does "Global Biomass Flow Mapping Reveals Shifting Cropland Footprints" matter for design?
Understanding the physical flow of biomass from production to consumption is crucial for identifying resource bottlenecks and environmental impacts within complex global supply chains. This insight enables designers and engineers to make more informed decisions regarding material sourcing, waste reduction, and the overall sustainability of their products and systems.
How can designers apply this research?
Quantify the physical resource flows and environmental impacts associated with your product's entire supply chain to identify key areas for sustainable intervention.
What were the main findings?
The FABIO model provides a comprehensive, transparent, and flexible structure for organizing data on material flows within metabolic networks.. It allows for tracing of biomass flows and associated environmental pressures along global supply chains with detailed product and country specificity.. Analysis of cropland footprints revealed evolving consumption-based demand for plant-based and livestock-based food and nonfood products in China, the EU, and the USA.
What research method was used?
Input-Output Modeling with 191 countries, 130 products.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2019 journal from Environmental Science & Technology.
What should I do differently in my next project?
When designing products that utilize agricultural or forestry-derived materials, investigate the origin and processing of these materials to understand their full resource footprint.
What are the limitations?
The model relies on available statistical data, which may have inherent inaccuracies or gaps. Conversion efficiencies can vary significantly in practice.