Decarbonisation Potential Through the Integration of Multifunctional Land Management Based on Urban Agroforestry: A Case Study of La Punta (Valencia, Spain)

Abstract

The contemporary global environment is characterised by a multitude of interrelated challenges, including urbanisation, climate change, and the necessity of urgent mitigation actions. With most of the world's population now residing in urban areas and at the core of environmental issues, cities offer opportunities for positive transformations to address these challenges; however, this potential must be explored and investigated. Consequently, it becomes increasingly pertinent to its decarbonisation in the present and coming decades. This is to achieve zero net emissions and transition to smart, sustainable, and resilient cities. The study area of the present thesis is the city of Valencia, designated as the European Green Capital for 2024 by the EU Commission. Despite this accolade, significant challenges remain, including the notable presence of unused and degraded land. One potential solution would be an integrated and multifunctional agroforestry systems within an urban environment. Accordingly, the objective of this research is the development of an outcomes-oriented strategy. To this end, remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping are conducted in the La Punta neighbourhood, followed by land planning and design based on the most suitable nature-based solution (NBS). Subsequently, an estimation of potential carbon sequestration and storage and bioenergy production are provided. The research yielded several interconnected results and findings related to decarbonisation, energy security, economic prospects and sustainable communities. The potential net carbon storage results for the 30-year timeframe are 189,332.2 tCO2e, 666,035 tCO2e and 633,993.7 tCO2e by each method employed, demonstrating a positive cumulative trend over time. Furthermore, the estimated yields of bioenergy production from a four-year rotation are 5,245.71 GJ/ha for Populus and 4,172.73 GJ/ha for Salix. The strategy is based on the concept of "Aptness to people, Aptness to place, Aptness to purpose" and the Principle of Synergy. This strategy is designed to facilitate the generation of social justice and the revitalisation of community involvement, as well as to achieve land regeneration, nature connectivity and conservation. This dynamic, ecologically based natural resources management system is presented in an overview as a Climate Transition Story Map.