Challenging the Sustainability Narrative: Unveiling the hidden socioecological costs of plant-based alternatives.

Sammanfattning

This thesis investigates the hidden socio-ecological costs associated with plant-based alternatives, with a particular focus on avocados produced in Michoacán, Mexico. This study employs a convergent mixed-methods design using three distinct components: Lifecycle Analysis (LCA), Emergy Analysis (EmA) and Political Ecology (PE). The LCA revealed a carbon footprint of 5.96 kg CO₂e per 1kg avocado, placing avocado production on par with other high-impact animal food sources, such as poultry. The EmA results revealed an Emergy Yield Ratio (EYR) of 1.007, an Environmental Loading Ratio (ELR) of 153.14, and an Emergy Sustainability Index (ESI) of 0.0066. This is indicative of an unsustainable system. The Political Ecology (PE) analysis revealed a weak state apparatus, an ever-increasing infiltration of criminal actors resulting in land dispossession, para-autonomous governance structures and fragmented resistance movements. Together, these findings question the dominant sustainability narratives and underscores the need for more multidimensional frameworks to better evaluate sustainability. In response, this study introduces the Integrated Socio Ecological Lifecycle Assessment (ISELA) framework as a novel approach for sustainability assessments. The ISELA framework integrates LCA, EmA and PE, treating each component as equally significant in understanding the full range of socio-ecological impacts. The framework offers an alternative to techno-centric models, emphasizing the interdependence of environmental burdens, resource efficiency and power dynamics in food-systems.