Sustainability indicators for bioenergy generation from Amazon׳s non-woody native biomass sources

Abstract

This data article focuses on sustainability indicators for bioenergy generation from Brazilian Amazon׳s non-woody native biomass sources, considered to be modern forms of biomass. In the construction of the indicators, the Indicator-based Framework for Evaluation of Natural Resource Management Systems (MESMIS, from the original Spanish) method was used, with the application of the seven sustainability attributes to identify critical points and limiting and favorable factors for sustainability. The data yielded a list of 29 indicators distributed across 27 critical points, selected from three system evaluation areas: 11 environmental indicators, 11 social indicators, and 7 economic indicators.

Graphical abstract

Specifications table

Subject area	Environmental science
More specific subject area	Sustainability
Type of data	Tables, text file
How data were acquired	Literature review
Data format	Filtered and analyzed
Experimental factors	In the construction of the sustainability indicators, the Indicator-based Framework for Evaluation of Natural Resource Management Systems (MESMIS, from the original Spanish ‘Marco para la Evaluación de Sistemas de Manejo de Recursos Naturales Incorporando Indicadores de Sustentabilidad’) method was used, considering the seven sustainability attributes to identify critical points and their respective indicators.
Experimental features	Data are focused on the development of sustainability indicators to be used in bioenergy production systems from Brazilian Amazon׳s non-woody native biomass sources
Data source location	Brazilian Amazon
Data accessibility	Data included with this article
Related research article	None

Value of the data

• •The data contribute to minimizing the impact of non-renewable energy sources by expanding research into modern biomass for bioenergy generation.
• •Sustainability indicators are needed to evaluate the suitability of Amazon׳s non-woody native biomass an alternative source for bioenergy production.
• •The data describe sustainability indicators used in the Brazilian and international literature for bioenergy.
• •Adequate application of these data may fill the gaps of sustainability evaluation of Amazon׳s non-woody native biomass sources for bioenergy generation, a still incipient area of knowledge.
• •The data provide information on bioenergy sustainability indicators that can be used for decision-making.

1. Data

This data article focuses on sustainability indicators for bioenergy production systems that use Brazilian Amazon׳s non-woody native biomass sources. The creation of this data set is based on the analysis of globally recognized scientific certifications and publications related to sustainability standards for the biomass-bioenergy sector. The data of the sample were processed and shared in the Supplementary material of this data article as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (XLSX file) containing raw extracted and filtered data.

The data yielded a list of 29 sustainability indicators for bioenergy generation from Amazon׳s biomass native sources, selected from seven sustainability attributes: productivity, stability, reliability, resilience, adaptability, equity, and self-reliance. Table 1 shows the 27 critical points identified for the bioenergy production system analyzed in this study, linked to their respective sustainability attributes. Table 2 then describes the indicators linked to these critical points, according to the system evaluation area.

Table 1.

Critical points identified for bioenergy production systems that use Amazon׳s non-woody native biomass sources.

Sustainability attributes	Critical points	References
Productivity	1.Productivity	[1], [2], [3]
	2.Profitability	[1], [2], [3]
	3.Regulatory compliance	[1], [2], [4]
	4.Soil degradation	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	5.Pollution	[1], [4]
Stability, reliability, resilience	6.Food competition	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	7.Use of forest management practices	[1], [4]
	8.Waste disposal	[1], [2]
	9.Greenhouse gas emissions	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	10.Availability and reuse of water	[1], [2], [3]
	11.Use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)	[1]
	12.Vulnerability to external effects	[1]
	13.Biodiversity and ecosystems	[2], [4]
	14.Desertion of the area	[1], [3], [4]
Adaptability	15.Technological innovation	[1], [4]
	16.Capacity	[1], [2], [3], [4]
Equity	17.Basic services	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	18.Family involvement	[1], [3], [4]
	19.Equal opportunities	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	20.Child labor	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	21.Land rights	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	22.Food competition	[1], [2], [3], [4]
Self-reliance	23.Dependence on subsidies	[1], [2], [4]
	24.Dependence on external inputs	[1]
	25.Dependence on fossil fuels	[1], [3], [4]
	26.Sources of income	[1], [3], [4]
	27.Organization and participation	[1], [4]

Table 2.

Sustainability indicators by critical point and evaluation area.

Evaluation area	Indicators	Critical points	References
Environmental	1.Land use and diversity	Food competition	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	2.Soil erosion	Soil degradation	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	3.Agrochemical use	Pollution	[1], [4]
	4.Forest management practices	Use of forest management practices	[1], [4]
	5.Waste management	Waste disposal	[1], [2]
	6.Greenhouse gas emissions	Greenhouse gas emissions	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	7.Availability and reuse of water	Availability and reuse of water	[1], [2], [3]
	8.Management of GMOs	Use of GMOs	[1]
	9.Abiotic stresses	Vulnerability to external effects	[1]
	10.Compatibility with native biomes	Biodiversity and ecosystems	[2], [4]
	11.Use of renewable energy	Dependence on fossil fuels	[1], [3], [4]
Social	12.Permanence of traditional populations	Desertion of the area	[1], [3], [4]
	13.Training	Capacity	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	14.Health care	Basic services	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	15.Basic services	Basic services	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	16.Family participation	Family involvement	[1], [3], [4]
	17.Distribution of employees	Equal opportunities	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	18.Child labor	Child labor	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	19.Land tenure rights	Land rights	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	20.Access to land tenure	Land rights	[1], [2], [3], [4]
	21.Use of basic crops	Food competition	[1], [3], [4]
	22.Organization and participation	Organization and participation	[1], [4]
Economic	23.Yield	Productivity	[1], [2], [3]
	24.Benefit-cost ratio	Profitability	[1], [2], [3]
	25.Regulatory compliance	Regulatory compliance	[1], [2], [4]
	26.Scientific and technological innovation	Technological innovation	[1], [4]
	27.Self-financing	Dependence on subsidies	[1], [2], [4]
	28.External inputs	Dependence on external inputs	[1]
	29.Income diversification	Sources of income	[1], [3], [4]

Based on the data set of the sample, it was possible to categorize and quantify the indicators and critical points. This stratification was performed according to the respective evaluation area, for each one of the seven sustainability attributes (Table 3). Figs. 1 and 2 provide a comprehensive visual comparison of sustainability attributes in relation to indicator and critical points standards for bioenergy production systems that use Brazilian Amazon׳s non-woody native biomass sources.

Table 3.

Number of indicators and critical points per sustainability attributes.

Sustainability attributes	Critical points by evaluation area				Indicators by sample
	Environmental	Social	Economic	Total	Valdez-Vazquez [1]	ABNT [2]	GBEP [3]	Moret [4]
Productivity	2	–	3	5	5	4	3	3
Stability, reliability, resilience	8	1	–	9	8	5	4	5
Adaptability	–	1	1	2	2	1	1	2
Equity	–	6	–	6	8	6	8	8
Self-reliance	1	1	3	5	5	1	2	4
Total	11	9	7	27	28	17	18	22

Fig. 1.

Number of indicators per sustainability attributes coded by a sample model.

Fig. 2.

Number of critical points per sustainability attributes coded by evaluation area.

2. Experimental design, materials, and methods

2.1. Study area description

In the construction of the sustainability indicators of non-woody native biomass, the study area was the Amazon biome, which integrates the various Amazons. Fig. 3 shows that the term “Amazon” is used in several different ways at the global and regional levels, and, although these are interrelated, they have distinct meanings [5].

Fig. 3.

Explaining the various Amazons.

2.2. System characterization: description of the study biomass sample

Considering the universe of forest biomass, the construction of the indicators aimed the creation of sustainability parameters for Amazon׳s non-woody native biomass sources (fruits) [6], which are modern forms of biomass. Selection followed the typology described by Brand [7] in the physical flow of forest biomass for energy generation (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4.

Physical flow of forest biomass for energy generation. Source – Brand [7].

2.3. Construction of sustainability indicators

The process of construction of sustainability indicators of non-woody native biomass sources for bioenergy generation relies on the Indicator-based Framework for Evaluation of Natural Resource Management Systems method (MESMIS, from the Spanish Marco para la Evaluación de Sistemas de Manejo de Recursos Naturales Incorporando Indicadores de Sustentabilidad). MESMIS is aimed at researchers and professionals from different areas of knowledge who are interested in developing and disseminating tools for sustainability evaluation systems. It can be applied in case studies in the rural sector, especially in the rural context of Latin America [8].

MESMIS is characterized by its flexibility and adaptability to different levels of information and technical training, providing a participatory and interdisciplinary approach that allows the adaptation of the sustainability evaluation process to the specificities of each study [9], [10], [11]. This flexibility was used for the identification of critical points, determination of diagnostic criteria, and definition of sustainability indicators (Fig. 5) [12].

Fig. 5.

Graphical representation of the MESMIS method for evaluation of bioenergy from Amazon׳s non-woody native biomass sources.

As described in the MESMIS method, the seven sustainability attributes (productivity, stability, reliability, resilience, adaptability, equity, and self-reliance) used for identification of critical points were applied to the present system, revealing limiting and favorable factors for sustainability.

For selection of critical points and subsequent sustainability evaluation for bioenergy, different types of scientific publications were used. Table 4 presents the composition of the sample, characterized by documents that varied in terms of geographical scope, authorship, and typology. The diversity of these publications allowed the data to encompass multiple viewpoints and goals of sustainability indicators for bioenergy. Then, each of the selected critical points was linked to sustainability indicators structured into the economic, environmental, and social dimensions.

Table 4.

Composition of the sample applied to the sustainability attributes.

Document	Origin	Typology	Scope	Date of publication
ABNT ISO 13065: Sustainability criteria for bioenergy [2]	International Organization for Standardization	Technical standard	International	2015
Description: This standard specifies principles, criteria and indicators for the bioenergy supply chain to facilitate evaluation of environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainability.
Sustainability criteria and indicators for bioenergy [4]	Working Group on Energy of the Brazilian Forum of NGOs and Social Movements for the Environment and Development	Technical paper	National	2006
Description: Set of sustainability criteria and indicators to guide discussion among the various social and economic segments involved in enterprises of energy generation from biomass, in its social, environmental, and economic dimensions
Proposal for a sustainability evaluation framework for bioenergy production systems using the MESMIS methodology [1]	Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews	Scientific article	International	2017
Description: The aim of the present study is to develop a sustainability evaluation framework that is suitable to Bioenergy Production Systems, integrating any feedstock, technological process, and social component for low and middle-income countries.
Sustainability Indicators for Bioenergy [3]	Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP)	Technical paper	International	2011
Description: This report presents 24 indicators of sustainability regarding the production and use of modern bioenergy, broadly defined. The indicators were developed by the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) and provide a framework for assessing the relationship between production and use of modern bioenergy and sustainable development. The indicators were intentionally crafted to report on the environmental, social, and economic aspects of sustainable development.

The sample allowed the data set to encompass the characteristics of representativeness, comparability, clarity and synthesis, data collection, and forecasting and goals [13].

Transparency document. Supplementary material

Supplementary material

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Appendix A. Supplementary material

Supplementary material

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