The Material and Energy Basis of Rome: An Investigationof Direct and Indirect Resource Use through Material Flow,Energy and Footprint Methods

摘要

Results from this study of stability/sustainability conditions of anurban system show that an average citizen of Rome, in one year,uses directly or indirectly as much as 45 tons of °biotic material(minerals, raw fuel, topsoil). Out of such an abiotic flow, about6.5 tons of fuel per person are required, while the Italian nation-wide average is 3.6 tons per year. In addition, 816 tons of waterare indirectly used or diverted from their natural pattern in sup-port of individual food, electricity and commodity demand. De- spite the scarce 0.05 Ha of productive land available per capita,each citizen in Rome virtually "uses" 4.51 Ha of productive land.Each Roman releases in one year 20 tons CO2, 50 kg CO, 36_kgNO_xand 24 kg SO_2, and generates about 450 of solid waste,thus contributing in several ways to environmental pollution. Fi-nally, to generate 100? of local GDP requires 29 kg of raw oil,an amount that is only paid about 10￡ in the internationalmarket.