Life Cycle Assessment in Protected Agriculture: Where Are We Now, and Where Should We Go Next?

Abstract

Researchers and practitioners use life cycle assessment (LCA) as a powerful tool to thoroughly assess the environmental impact of protected agriculture. However, the literature in this field has shown heterogeneity, which is characterized by inconsistent methodologies and assumptions. Identifying prevailing trends and resolving existing limitations is necessary to generate robust results and guide future work. Here, we conduct a bibliometric and systematic review to explore how LCA applications have addressed protected agriculture. The bibliometric analysis unveils trends in scientific productivity, spanning temporal evolution and geographic distribution, while also identifying prominent research avenues. The systematic review traces the historical trajectory of agricultural LCA and scrutinizes methodological decisions across the standard LCA phases: (i) objective and scope, (ii) life cycle inventory, (iii) impact assessment, and (iv) interpretation. We summarize and discuss the reported environmentally friendly practices and provide a qualitative interpretation of the LCA findings. Moreover, we pinpoint key methodological challenges and propose research horizons. It is crucial to note that the environmental benefits of protected agriculture are context-dependent, with climate change emerging as a critical factor influencing crop yields and the system’s input and output resources. This impact is particularly pronounced in terms of water and energy consumption and carbon emissions. In regions with extreme climates, protected agriculture provides solutions for producers aiming to attain high yields of top-quality crops. The integration of circular bioeconomy strategies in this context allows mitigation of the environmental trade-offs identified by LCA.