Files
Abstract
The agricultural sector model SILAS-dyn has been used by Agroscope ART for 10 years for the
political advisory of the Swiss agricultural administration. To evaluate the environmental effects of
different policy scenarios, a LCA module has been developed, connecting a hierarchical linkage to an
existing LCA calculating tool. This lowers the formulation input and simplifies the adaptation of
updated environmental models. The results of four scenarios show, through the example of energy use
as an environmental impact, that indirect effects, such as energy use in the context of imported
concentrates, can influence conclusions significantly. The scenario suggesting an increase of fertiliser
prices does not change the results significantly, whereas higher energy prices increase the pressure
upon energy-intensive activities.