Environmental footprint and water footprint in studies on the impact of agricultural production on the natural environment

• Autorzy: Kowalczyk Zbigniew , Kuboń Maciej , Krilek Jozef , Kováč Ján

Identyfikatory

DOI

10.2478/agriceng-2025-0016

Warianty tytułu

PL

Ślad środowiskowy i ślad wodny w badaniach nad oddziaływaniem produkcji rolniczej na środowisko naturalne

• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

In the face of growing challenges related to climate change, environmental degradation, and limited natural resources, the assessment of the environmental impact of various economic sectors is becoming increasingly important. Agriculture, as one of the key branches of food production, significantly contributes to environmental degradation, water resource consumption, and ecosystem transformation. In this context, the concepts of Environmental Footprint (EF) and Water Footprint (WF) are particularly important, serving as tools for the quantitative assessment of the pressure exerted by agricultural production on the environment. The environmental footprint encompasses various impact indicators, such as greenhouse gas emissions, eutrophication, acidification, abiotic resource consumption, and biodiversity loss. The water footprint, on the other hand, focuses on quantifying freshwater use throughout the product life cycle, considering blue, green, and grey water. The combined use of these tools allows for a comprehensive analysis of the impact of agricultural practices on the natural environment and the identification of areas requiring improvement towards sustainable development. Consequently, they help shape environmental policies and sustainable resource management strategies. The aim of this article is to present current methods for assessing environmental and water footprints in agricultural production and to discuss the main factors influencing their values. The article also presents the current state of research in this field and practical examples of how these tools are applied in evaluating different farming systems.

PL

W obliczu rosnących wyzwań związanych ze zmianami klimatu, degradacją środowiska oraz ograniczonymi zasobami naturalnymi, coraz większe znaczenie zyskuje ocena wpływu różnych sektorów gospodarki na środowisko. Rolnictwo, jako jedna z kluczowych gałęzi produkcji żywności, ma istotny udział w degradacji środowiska, zużyciu zasobów wodnych oraz przekształceniach ekosystemów. W tym kontekście szczególnego znaczenia nabierają pojęcia śladu środowiskowego (Environmental Footprint, EF) oraz śladu wodnego (Water Footprint, WF), które stanowią narzędzia służące do ilościowej oceny presji wywieranej przez produkcję rolniczą na środowisko. Ślad środowiskowy obejmuje szeroki zakres wskaźników oddziaływania, takich jak emisja gazów cieplarnianych, eutrofizacja, zakwaszenie, zużycie zasobów abiotycznych czy wpływ na różnorodność biologiczną. Z kolei ślad wodny skupia się na ilościowym określeniu zużycia wody słodkiej w całym cyklu życia produktu, z uwzględnieniem wody niebieskiej, zielonej i szarej. Wspólne zastosowanie tych narzędzi umożliwia kompleksową analizę wpływu praktyk rolniczych na środowisko naturalne, a także identyfikację obszarów wymagających poprawy w kierunku zrównoważonego rozwoju, w konsekwencji kształtowanie polityki środowiskowej oraz strategii zrównoważonego zarządzania zasobami. Celem niniejszego artykułu jest przedstawienie aktualnych metod oceny śladu środowiskowego i śladu wodnego w produkcji rolniczej oraz omówienie głównych czynników wpływających na ich wartość. W artykule zaprezentowany zostanie również aktualny stan badań w tej dziedzinie oraz przykłady praktycznych zastosowań tych narzędzi w ocenie różnych systemów rolniczych.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

agricultural production; environmental footprint; water footprint; LCA analysis

PL

produkcja rolnicza; ślad środowiskowy; ślad wodny; analiza LCA

• Wydawca: Polskie Towarzystwo Inżynierii Rolniczej
• Czasopismo: Agricultural Engineering
• Rocznik: 2025
• Tom: Vol. 29, No. 1
• Strony: 263--295
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 49 poz., tab., wykr.

Twórcy

autor

Kowalczyk Zbigniew

• Department of Production Engineering, Logistics and Applied Computer Science, Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Balicka 116B, 30-149 Kraków, Poland

• https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8001-2092

autor

Kuboń Maciej

• Department of Production Engineering, Logistics and Applied Computer Science, Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Balicka 116B, 30-149 Kraków, Poland
• Faculty of Technical Sciences and Design Arts, National Academy of Applied Sciences in Przemyśl, Książąt Lubomirskich 6, 37-700 Przemyśl

• https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4847-8743

autor

Krilek Jozef

• Department of Environmental and Forestry Machinery, Faculty of Technology, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 24, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8349-5269

autor

Kováč Ján

• Department of Environmental and Forestry Machinery, Faculty of Technology, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 24, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2173-9694

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