Assessing Lisbon Trees’ Carbon Storage Quantity, Density, and Value Using Open Data and Allometric Equations

Public and Private Economic Feasibility of Green Areas as a Passive Energy Measure: A Case Study in the Mediterranean City of Trapani in Southern Italy

Green infrastructure in urban environments provides a wide range of ecological, social, aesthetic, and health co-benefits. Urban plant covers in particular contribute to improved outdoor environmental conditions that, in turn, influence the energy behavior of buildings and their indoor thermo-hygrometric comfort performance. Within this context, this study illustrates a methodology aimed at verifying the economic feasibility of alternative types of green areas for public and private stakeholders, which are analyzed as passive energy measures. Therefore, our methodology integrates approaches from different disciplines and consists of a microclimatic analysis of different vegetation scenarios and of the outdoor comfort level, an evaluation of the energy needs of a sample of houses, and an economic feasibility estimation considering different scenarios and public and private investors. The methodology is illustrated through its application to a suburban district of the Sicilian city of Trapani in the South of Italy, considered representative of Mediterranean climate conditions. Results showed significant differences between the scenario outcomes depending on the type of vegetation used in the green areas and put in evidence how economic feasibility for some stakeholders may be achieved in the management phase if adequate incentives equal to the planting cost are assumed.

The climate benefits, co-benefits, and trade-offs of green infrastructure: A systematic literature review

Climate change increases risks to natural and human systems. Green infrastructure (GI) has been increasingly recognized as a promising nature-based solution for climate change adaptation, mitigation, and other societal objectives for sustainable development. Although the climate contribution of GI has been extensively addressed in the literature, the linkages between the climate benefits and associated co-benefits and trade-offs remain unclear. We systematically reviewed the evidence from 141 papers, focusing on their climate benefits, relevant co-benefits and trade-offs, and the GI types that provide such climate (co-)benefits. This study presents a comprehensive overview of the links between climate benefits, co-benefits and types of GI, categorized along a green-grey continuum so that researchers/practitioners can find information according to their topic of interest. We further provide an analysis of trade-offs between various GI benefits. 'Bundles' of major co-benefits and trade-offs for each climate benefit can be identified with recommendations for strategies to maximize benefits and minimize trade-offs. To promote climate-resilient pathways through GI, it is crucial for decision-makers to identify opportunities to deliver multiple ecosystem services and benefits while recognizing disservices and trade-offs that need to be avoided or managed.

Carbon and PM2.5 Reduction and Design Guidelines for Street Trees in Korea

An increasing concentration of air pollutants, which negatively affect human health and living environment, present a serious environmental concern around the world. Street trees can help reduce carbon (C) and PM2.5 in cities that lack sufficient greenspace. This study quantified C uptake and PM2.5 deposition on street trees in the Republic of Korea and suggested sustainable design guidelines to enhance the effects of C and PM2.5 reduction. The mean C uptake and the PM2.5 deposition on street trees per unit area were 0.6 ± 0.1 t/ha/y and 2.0 ± 0.3 kg/ha/y, respectively. The major determining factors of the levels of C uptake and PM2.5 deposition on street trees were the species, density, size, and layering structure of the planted trees. Street trees in the Republic of Korea annually offset C and PM2.5 emissions from vehicles by 1.4% and 180%, respectively. Based on these results, design guidelines are suggested that can contribute to sharing the value and the importance of planting street trees for the reduction of C and PM2.5 levels in greenspaces.

Carbon sequestration in the bio-edaphic ecosystem of National Highway-27 in Guwahati, Assam, India

Vehicular pollution in cities is engendering the need to enhance the sequestration of CO₂ through bio-edaphic factors, such as trees and soil. Hence, this pioneering study aimed to analyze the interdependencies of the bio-edaphic ecosystem during carbon sequestration on a national highway in Guwahati, Assam, India. To quantify the tree carbon stock, soil physicochemical properties, soil nutrients, bulk density, organic carbon, and soil carbon stock, trees with diameters at breast height (dbh) ≥ 2 cm and soil samples from different depths (0–15 cm, 15–30 cm, and 30–45 cm) were taken from six areas spread over 36 plots of equal size (2 × 10 m) arranged in a zig-zag manner. The studied parameters were compared among the different areas. It was found that the tree and soil carbon stock, along with soil nutrients, were greater in the Garchuk-Lokhra area (sample area-4). A significantly strong correlation was observed between the soil carbon stock and the above and below-ground biomass of trees (AGB, r = 0.865; BGB, r = 0.847), which indicated the co-dependencies of the bio-edaphic ecosystem in accumulating carbon. Peltophorum ferrugineum (Decne.) Benth is recommended for planting because it has emerged as a tolerant species and has the greatest carbon storage potential. The bio-edaphic ecosystem of the national highway is now on a carbon-friendly trajectory that follows the UNFCCC guidelines and the REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) strategy. However further research on carbon budgeting is required.