Search

Population growth and greater global interconnection require a profound transformation in how we produce, consume, and manage natural resources. In this sense, the circular transition of the agricultural and livestock sectors is vital to guarantee adequate production without compromising the availability of resources for future generations. In this work, we analyze the level of circular development of the primary sector in Spain using a sample of the 84 largest companies. We utilize the biplot analysis, multivariate graphic models that represent the joint distribution of four scores (constructed with sixteen ecological initiatives), and three financial and geographic variables. These techniques allow for visualization of the status and the relationships between all of them. We evidence an important degree of progress in initiatives associated with the use of non-polluting energy, eco-design, eco-innovation, management, and care of ecosystems. We also observe that the current transition towards a circular primary sector is strongly associated with firms' capital investments and long-term innovations. On the other hand, the actions aimed at protecting water resources are in an intermediate state of progress, being necessary to invest in additional friendly water initiatives. In this vein, it is advisable to promote public policies focused on promoting the ecological transition of this sector and the research that advances efficient water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through multivariate data analysis, this research aims to study the current commitment of agricultural and livestock companies in Castilla y León to the mitigation of their negative environmental impacts and whether it is conditioned by their resources and capabilities, through the implementation of clean technologies. Agricultural and livestock production is vital for the subsistence of the world's population, but the productive activities of this sector can have unfavorable consequences on the environment. These business projects are designed to mitigate the negative impacts on three essential environmental elements: air, freshwater and ecosystems (fauna and flora). The results were derived via the External Logistics Biplot methodology, whose purpose is to determine the influence of various factors or variables on a result, and which shows that 63% of the companies analyzed have invested in technological systems to optimize water use, 40% have invested in technologies and systems to avoid and control carbon dioxide (CO2) and Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions, and 24% of companies have implemented technologies for recycling and reusing waste, showing a hierarchical preference in mitigating risks related to freshwater scarcity, emitting polluting emissions into the air and the conservation of ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]