WP5: Environmental LCA and Nutrient Quality Assessment

Lead Partner: Trinity College Dublin

WP 5 aims to produce new inventory data on the environmental intensity of different legume production systems. Methods will incorporate Case Study data from WP2 and nutrition elements from WP3 using Life Cycle Analysis to derive sustainability indicators (WP8); environmental footprint will be related to costs in growing, manufacture and purchase. Outputs are relevant to the EU’s ‘Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life’, and ‘Healthy Ageing’ initiatives.

Objectives

Task 5.1

Produce a practical report outlining the Life Cycle Analysis methodology to be used in TRUE

Task 5.2

Using Attributional Life Cycle Analysis to assess the environmental footprints of legume products, benchmarked against conventional alternatives

Task 5.3

Assess a range of European diets in terms of environmental burden and nutrient quality. Food choices will be scored according to both decreasing environmental impact and increasing health

Task 5.4

Assess how increasing the proportion of legumes and legume products in a range of European diets may increase the beneficial nutrient content of diet/food choice but decrease their environmental impact

Task 5.5

Calculate the combined environmental, health and purchase costs of diet/food choices and assess the affordability and environmental sustainability of legume-based diets