Total Resource Flows and Environmental Impacts

An inventory including both a mass and energy flow analysis and a life cycle screening is performed for the region Northern Jutland. The inventory provides both a production perspective and a consumer perspective.

The client

Aalborg Kommune – Denmark

Our role

Project completed December 2020.

Circular economy for a Danish region

As part of the local project ‘Det Cirkulære Nordjylland‘ an inventory is made of North Jutland’s total resource flows and environmental impacts. The inventory includes both a socio-economic analysis, mass flow analysis and an inventory of total environmental impacts. In addition, a number of possible, concrete measures for changes in existing mass flows are identified, as inputs to the strategy for a circular approach in North Jutland. The calculation is made from both a production and a consumption perspective.

The production perspective includes a statement of the total material and energy inputs to, as well as product and waste outputs from all companies (both private and public) in North Jutland. In addition, the total environmental impacts from company ‘purchases’ (materials, energy, services, etc.), direct emissions from the companies, and treatment of the companies’ waste are calculated. Environmental impacts are shown as greenhouse gas emissions as well as a selection of other environmental impact categories, eg particulate pollution, biodiversity, nutrient load, etc.

The consumption perspective includes a statement of the total material and energy inputs to, as well as waste outputs from, the citizens of North Jutland. In addition, the same environmental impacts as for companies are calculated for the citizens’ total consumption of goods, energy, services, public services and waste treatment services.

The final project report is here (in Danish):Cirkulær Økonomi i Nordjylland – opgørelse af massestrømme og LCA resultater.