Jeerasak Chobtang

Citation

Thesis Title
Appraisal of the environmental sustainability of milk production systems in New Zealand

Read article at Massey Research Online:

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is recognised as an effective environmental-assessment method to generate a set of information that supports decision-making towards sustainable development. The New Zealand (NZ) dairy sector contributes positively to the national economy, but also contributes negatively to environmental impacts. Mr Chobtang used different LCA modelling approaches to assess dairy farming systems in the Waikato region; these approaches can be used to support different types and levels of decision-making. He found that, over the life cycle of milk production systems, there were many stages where improvement or mitigation options could be implemented. In addition, it is critical to include a comprehensive set of environmental impact indicators to eliminate potential problems associated with burden-shifting. His research findings confirmed that maximising resource use efficiency along the life cycle of future milk production systems is one of the most effective measures to support environmental sustainability of NZ milk production systems.

Supervisors
Professor Sarah McLaren
Dr Stewart Ledgard
Professor Danny Donaghy