A carbon mapping framework for the international distribution of fresh fruit
dc.contributor.advisor | Van Eeden, Joubert | en_ZA |
dc.contributor.advisor | Goedhals-Gerber, Leila Louise | en_ZA |
dc.contributor.author | Du Plessis, Martin Johannes | en_ZA |
dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering. | en_ZA |
dc.date.accessioned | 2023-04-24T08:04:33Z | en_ZA |
dc.date.available | 2023-04-24T08:04:33Z | en_ZA |
dc.date.issued | 2023-03 | en_ZA |
dc.description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. | en_ZA |
dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The emissions impact of distributing goods such as fresh fruit is increasingly attracting attention due to the heightened awareness of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, despite the importance of freight logistics, assessing how transportation, handling, and storage of goods produce emissions, is largely an underdeveloped field. This is predominantly the result of a lack of practical industry guidance. The distribution of fresh fruit exported from South Africa is one such process that requires a standardised and accurate method to determine GHG emissions. The primary aim of this dissertation was to develop a carbon mapping framework and emission intensity factors for the international distribution (transportation, handling, and storage) of fresh fruit from South Africa. The framework and factors should enable any stakeholder with reasonable knowledge to calculate the carbon footprint (kg CO2e/kg of fruit) and the total emissions (kg CO2e) produced by the various distribution activities from a packing facility up until the port of discharge. To achieve this primary aim, several research objectives (ROs) were satisfied using a well-defined mixed methods research approach. This mixed methods approach was ideal since it enabled the triangulation of quantitative and qualitative input data. The sources of data included literature, observations, emission intensity factors developed from primary data collected from industry, distribution chain diagrams, semi-structured interviews with subject matter experts (SMEs), collaboration with the fruit export industry, and the iterative application of the framework to validate typical distribution scenarios by which fresh fruit is exported. The large number of different inputs enabled constant and continuous verification of each part of the research, thereby ensuring the subsequent results' validity and research rigour. Apart from the validation of each part of the research by SMEs, the validity of the research was also confirmed by the five journal articles included in the dissertation document. The application of the developed carbon mapping framework and associated emission intensity factors showed that the carbon footprint for scenarios where deep-sea ocean transport is used as mode for the main carriage varies between 0.31 and 0.84 kg CO2e/kg of fruit. If air transportation is used as mode for the main carriage, the carbon footprint can be up to 11.35 kg CO2e/kg of fruit. These results are, however, scenario-specific and depend on the transportation mode, the number of activities performed during the pre-carriage phase, the duration of storage, the packaging configuration of fruit, the transportation distances, and the origin-destination pair, amongst other things. However, it is certain that the distribution of fresh fruit, like many other commodities, emits a significant amount of emissions, necessitating urgent decarbonisation. The carbon mapping framework and emission intensity factors developed in this research not only set a standard for the South African fruit export industry to estimate distribution emissions but also provides other commodity groups with guidance to develop a similar emission accounting standard. With global freight volumes growing due to globalisation and economic progress, practical tools such as this framework are now more important than ever for understanding the emission impact of logistical decisions and freight distribution. | en_ZA |
dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Kweekhuisgasvrystellings as gevolg van die verspreiding van produkte soos vars vrugte, lok toenemend meer aandag en belangstelling vanweë die algemene bewustheid oor die effek van kweekhuisgasse. Ten spyte van die rol en belangrikheid van vraglogistiek is daar weinig navorsing rakende die emissies wat vervoer, hantering en stoor van goedere produseer. Dit is hoofsaaklik vanweë 'n gebrek aan praktiese en toepaslike leiding vir die industrie. Die internasionale verspreiding van vars vrugte wat vanaf Suid-Afrika uitgevoer word, is een proses wat 'n gestandaardiseerde en akkurate metode benodig om kweekhuisgasvrystellings te bepaal. Die primêre doel van hierdie verhandeling is die ontwikkeling van 'n koolstofkarteringraamwerk en emissie-intensiteitsfaktore vir die internasionale verspreiding (vervoer, hantering en stoor) van vars vrugte wat vanaf Suid-Afrika uitgevoer word. Die raamwerk en faktore behoort enige belanghebbende met genoegsame kennis in staat stel om die koolstofvoetspoor (kg CO2e/kg vrugte) en die totale emissies (kg CO2e) wat deur die verskillende verspreidingsaktiwiteite geproduseer word vanaf 'n pakstoor tot by die hawe van invoer te kan bereken. Om hierdie primêre doel te bereik, is verskeie navorsingsdoelwitte bevredig deur die gebruik van 'n goed gedefinieerde gemengde-navorsingsmetode. Hierdie gemengde-navorsingsmetode was ideaal, aangesien dit die triangulasie van beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe insetdata gebruik het. Dit het die volgende ingesluit; literatuur, waarnemings, die emissie-intensiteitsfaktore wat bepaal is deur industrie, die verspreidingskettingdiagramme, semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met vakkundiges, noue samewerking met die vrugte-uitvoerbedryf, sowel as die iteratiewe toepassing van die raamwerk op tipiese verspreidingscenario's waarmee vars vrugte vanaf Suid-Afrika uitgevoer word. Hierdie groot verskeidenheid insette maak dit moontlik om elke deel van die navorsing konstante en deurlopende te verifieër, wat uiteindelik tot meer geloofwaardige eindresultate lei. Buiten die eksterne validering van elke deel van die navorsing deur vakkundiges, word die geldigheid van die navorsingsresultate om hierdie stelselprobleem op te los deur die vyf joernaalartikels in die verhandeling bevestig. Die aanwending van die ontwikkelde koolstofkarteringraamwerk en gepaardgaande emissie-intensiteitsfaktore toon dat die koolstofvoetspoor vir scenario's waar diepsee-vervoer gebruik word tussen 0.31 en 0.84 kg CO2e/kg vrugte wissel. As lugvervoer as wyse van vervoer gebruik word, kan die koolstofvoetspoor sels so hoog soos 11,35 kg CO2e/kg vrugte wees. Hierdie resultate is egter scenario-spesifiek en is onder andere afhanklik van die tipe vervoermiddel, die aantal aktiwiteite tydens die verspreidingsfase, die tydsduur van berging van vrugte, die tipe verpakkingsmateriaal, die vervoerafstande en die oorsprong-bestemming-paar. Daar kan egter met volkome sekerheid gestel word dat die verspreiding van vars vrugte, soos baie ander kommoditeite, 'n wesenlike hoeveelheid emissies vrystel. Die koolstofkarteringraamwerk en emissie-intensiteitsfaktore wat in hierdie navorsing ontwikkel is, skep nie net 'n standaard vir die Suid-Afrikaanse vrugte-uitvoerbedryf om kweekhuisgasvrystellings te bepaal nie, maar dien ook as riglyn vir ander kommoditeitsgroepe om 'n soortgelyke standaard te ontwikkel. In lig van internasionale vragvolumes wat groei as gevolg van globalisering en ekonomiese vooruitgang, is praktiese hulpmiddels soos hierdie raamwerk nou belangriker as ooit om die emissie-impak van logistieke besluite en vragverspreiding van produkte te verstaan. | af_ZA |
dc.description.version | Doctoral | en_ZA |
dc.format.extent | xvi, 210 pages : illustrations | en_ZA |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126811 | en_ZA |
dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023 | en_ZA |
dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Transportation engineering | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Emission intensity factors | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Sustainability | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Carbon footprint | en_ZA |
dc.subject | South Africa -- International economic relations | en_ZA |
dc.title | A carbon mapping framework for the international distribution of fresh fruit | en_ZA |
dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |