Towards a better understanding of production system design and regulatory mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: An integrated modelling approach

Liang, Yujie

Towards a better understanding of production system design and regulatory mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: An integrated modelling approach

Liang, Yujie

Permalink

Publication Type:: Thesis
Issue Date:: 2024

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download thesisAdobe PDF (6.98 MB)

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Liang, Yujie
dc.date.accessioned	2024-06-20T00:54:31Z
dc.date.available	2024-06-20T00:54:31Z
dc.date.issued	2024
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/179583
dc.description	University of Technology Sydney. TD School.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.description.abstract	This thesis explores how to identify and evaluate methods to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions via production system design and regulation. It theorises the design and application of an Environmentally Sustainable Residual Income Decomposition Modelling (ESRIDM) in an agricultural context. The aim is to enhance decision-making related to economic and environmental sustainability, particularly in the control and management of nitrogen emissions. This thesis first explores how to identify and describe (categorise) alternative regulatory mechanisms for managing GHG emission reductions, deriving a comprehensive typology to categorise and describe elements of regulatory systems. Second, sets up the theoretical framework and builds an integrated modelling system to enable the identification and evaluation of alternative practices, technologies and other factors that may lead to more sustainable crop production through better nitrogen management. This research expands upon the Environmentally Sustainable Residual Income (ESRI) theory and integrates it with a Water and Economic Sustainability Performance Measurement (WESM) framework. Third, the modelling is extended by integrating insights inspired by the co-production of knowledge theory, which highlights co-production’s role in decision-making and emphasises component interactions between sustainable drivers and industry-level measurements. This modelling is further enhanced by integrating with a simulation model, Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT). Together this modelling system has been designed to enable evaluations and outcomes of different regulatory options by using a combination of integrating economic modelling, accounting mechanism and agriculture system modelling. The significance of this research can be articulated through three ways, this is one of first studies to model a practical linkage pertaining to the ESRI theory. Through a detailed case study and comparative analysis of three nitrogen fertilizer options, the efficacy of the ESRIDM is demonstrated. This model aids in identifying key issues that require attention of industry stakeholders and offers an analysis of probable outcomes under various alternatives. Second, this study situates the simulation and evaluation of production system options, fundamentally based on science modelling, within an environment characterized by robust stakeholder linkages akin to the co-production of knowledge theory. It offers a novel approach to enhancing the efficiency and quality of interdisciplinary communication among diverse specializations that often arise in cross-disciplinary research. Third, this study creates an integrated modelling system designed to be adapted with a view to contributing to the evolution of more sustainable systems of production thereby furnishing new insights that potentially render the simulation and evaluation of future policies more time- and cost-efficient.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.format	Thesis (PhD)
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US.UTF-8
dc.relation	https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/179583/1/thesis.pdf
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.rights	The author owns the copyright in this thesis including all reproduction and reuse rights for the work. The work may not be altered without the permission of the copyright owner. Attribution is essential when quoting or paraphrasing from this thesis.
dc.rights	© 2024 Yujie Liang
dc.rights	au.edu.uts.lib/cph
dc.title	Towards a better understanding of production system design and regulatory mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: An integrated modelling approach	en_US.UTF-8
dc.type	Thesis
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*

Abstract:

This thesis explores how to identify and evaluate methods to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions via production system design and regulation. It theorises the design and application of an Environmentally Sustainable Residual Income Decomposition Modelling (ESRIDM) in an agricultural context. The aim is to enhance decision-making related to economic and environmental sustainability, particularly in the control and management of nitrogen emissions. This thesis first explores how to identify and describe (categorise) alternative regulatory mechanisms for managing GHG emission reductions, deriving a comprehensive typology to categorise and describe elements of regulatory systems. Second, sets up the theoretical framework and builds an integrated modelling system to enable the identification and evaluation of alternative practices, technologies and other factors that may lead to more sustainable crop production through better nitrogen management. This research expands upon the Environmentally Sustainable Residual Income (ESRI) theory and integrates it with a Water and Economic Sustainability Performance Measurement (WESM) framework. Third, the modelling is extended by integrating insights inspired by the co-production of knowledge theory, which highlights co-production’s role in decision-making and emphasises component interactions between sustainable drivers and industry-level measurements. This modelling is further enhanced by integrating with a simulation model, Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT). Together this modelling system has been designed to enable evaluations and outcomes of different regulatory options by using a combination of integrating economic modelling, accounting mechanism and agriculture system modelling. The significance of this research can be articulated through three ways, this is one of first studies to model a practical linkage pertaining to the ESRI theory. Through a detailed case study and comparative analysis of three nitrogen fertilizer options, the efficacy of the ESRIDM is demonstrated. This model aids in identifying key issues that require attention of industry stakeholders and offers an analysis of probable outcomes under various alternatives. Second, this study situates the simulation and evaluation of production system options, fundamentally based on science modelling, within an environment characterized by robust stakeholder linkages akin to the co-production of knowledge theory. It offers a novel approach to enhancing the efficiency and quality of interdisciplinary communication among diverse specializations that often arise in cross-disciplinary research. Third, this study creates an integrated modelling system designed to be adapted with a view to contributing to the evolution of more sustainable systems of production thereby furnishing new insights that potentially render the simulation and evaluation of future policies more time- and cost-efficient.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/179583