Sustainable Land Use Research Articles

Exploring the Ecological Effects of Rural Land Use Changes: A Bibliometric Overview

Land use change is a significant contributor to global environmental change. The expansion of urban areas has increasingly impacted rural ecological environments, in particular the shift from agro-ecosystems to urban ecosystems, leading to alterations in land use patterns. Rural land use has led to economic, social, and environmental problems, including poor economic efficiency, emissions of pollutants, and increased environmental crises. The research of alterations in rural land use and their consequential environmental ramifications has garnered escalating attention, evolving into an indispensable subject of inquiry within pertinent academic disciplines. This study aims to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the ecological impacts of rural land use change. We examined 1237 literature sources through the Web of Science database and conducted a bibliometric analysis utilizing the Bibliometrix tool. Secondly, based on the results of bibliometric analysis, we conducted a review study on the impact of rural land use changes on the ecological environment, clarified the current research status in this field, and looked forward to future research directions. The study’s findings indicate that there has been a steady rise in publication volume from 1982 to 2023 and a significant potential for growth. The top three journals by publication volume are Sustainability, Land Use Policy, and Land. (2) A total of 4768 scholars from 95 countries or regions have contributed publications in this domain, notably led by researchers and institutions predominantly based in China. Developed nations, exemplified by the U.S., exhibit a notable citation frequency and robust research prowess within this field. (3) Land use, urbanization, China, ecosystem services, biodiversity, and remote sensing emerge as keywords of elevated frequency within the field, indicative of the scholarly emphasis on these subjects. (4) Studies in this domain are directed towards evaluating the effects on intrinsic components of the environment, including but not limited to soil quality, atmospheric conditions, water resources, and biodiversity. The implementation of sustainable rural land use strategies is essential for the realization of rural development and environmental protection. In future research efforts, the use of remote sensing technology holds immense potential as a robust technical tool for investigating both land use change and rural ecology, offering viable strategies for addressing environmental challenges in specific, localized regions. The results of this study can assist in comprehending the current state and direction of research in this field.

Ecosystem degradation or restoration? The evolving role of land use in China, 2000-2020.

Dramatic land use change in China affects ecosystem degradation and restoration. Identifying the evolving role of land use in ecosystem degradation and restoration in China is essential for sustainable land policy making. However, it is not clear how land use affects ecosystem degradation and restoration over time. Here, we used the revised benefit transfer approach and spatial statistics based on land use data to determine the evolving role that land use plays in ecosystem degradation and restoration in China during 2000-2020. The study results pointed out that the deterioration of the forestland ecosystem during the study period was the main reason for ecosystem degradation, while the conversion of arable land to forestland was the main cause for ecosystem restoration. Every 1% increase of land use intensity in the periods 2000-2005, 2005-2010, 2010-2015, and 2015-2020 resulted in -1.754%, 0.697%, 1.098%, and -0.058% of the changes in ecosystem services, respectively. This study provided important policy implications for future sustainable land use management in China.

Spatial Dynamics of Land Use Land Cover of Minna City and Environs, Niger State, Nigeria

Aims: Spatial dynamics of land use land cover of Minna city and environs, Niger State, Nigeria.
 Study Design: Survey and longitudinal research were carried out.
 Place and Duration of Study: Minna town, Niger State, Nigeria between 1990 and 2022.
 Methodology: This study investigated the dynamics of land use land cover of Minna city and environs, Niger State, Nigeria using satellite remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) technique. 
 Results: Findings of the study showed that in 1990, land use type was dominated by agricultural land (50%), followed by vegetation land (30%). However, built-up area was less than 10% indicating that urban heat stress was limited. It was observed that the built-up area concentrated on the center and north-western segments of the city. In 2010, bare ground dominated the land use type of Minna city and environs at the rate of 45%. This was followed by agricultural land at the rate of 35%. The built-up area occupied 15% of the entire land surface area of the city, indicating a tremendous rise from the previous decades. In 2022, the land use type showed a tremendous rise in agricultural land at the rate of 37%. This was followed by bare ground at an alarming increase of 36%. The built-up area ranked third at the rate of 20%, showing that the city had a severe urban heat effect due to heat generated by urban pavement materials.
 Conclusion: Thus, the practice of sustainable land use, good implementation of forest practice, appropriate water resources conservation and the promotion of alternative livelihood to agriculture should be implemented for the Minna inhabitants to reverse the situation of LULC changes without further delay.

Identifying major phases in the use of land, energy and changing landscapes by agrarian societies (7,000 cal BP-Present) in Cantabrian Spain, based on cultural changes and anthropogenic signals

IntroductionEnacting transitions toward more sustainable management and use of land, energy, and natural resources poses multiple challenges for human societies. Such transitions have been a constant throughout human history and therefore there is a need to learn from them and apply that knowledge to current land-use policies and management. Significant human impact on landscape and environment in Cantabrian Spain has been documented in alignment with the Neolithization (ca. 7,000 cal BP). While the classic approach of identifying cultural phases based on historical and archaeological data has been extensively studied, much less is understood on how such phases are dependent upon increasing anthropogenic influence on the environment.MethodsCantabrian Spain is well-known for its long mining history. Key processes historically shaping landscapes in the region include the implementation of mining/metallurgy industries and extraction of forest resources. These historical processes were characterized, respectively using heavy metal pollution contents (Hg, Zn, Cd, As, Ni, REE, Pb, and 206 Pb/207 Pb) and total arboreal pollen percentages in peat bogs, providing global trends of human impact on the environment. These trends were then compared to climate (temperature and precipitation) and natural vegetation evolution modeling through time.ResultsResults show seven phases of major human impact on the environment: (1) the Copper phase ca. 4,400–4,100 cal BP, (2) the Middle Bronze phase ca. 3,500–3,150 cal BP, (3) the Iron phase ca. 2,800–2,500 cal BP, (4) the Roman phase ca. 2,200–1,750 cal BP, (5) the Medieval phase ca. 1,250–1,000 cal BP, (6) the Colonial phase ca. 650–400 cal BP, and (7) the Industrial phase ca. 150 cal BP-Present.DiscussionFour phases are tightly related to substantial changes in land use and subsistence strategies: (1) Production, with the appearance of productive economies during the Neolithic, (2) Specialization, with the appearance of specialized activities and trade during the Middle Bronze phase, (3) Urbanization, with the first urban centers during the Roman phase, and (4) Globalization, with worldwide colonialism and capitalism economies during the Colonial phase.

Assessing future land-uses under planning scenarios: A case study of The Brantas River Basin, Indonesia

Understanding land-use dynamics and patterns and how they respond to management scenarios helps to develop sustainable land use policies. This study simulated future land uses in Brantas River Basin (BRB), East Java, Indonesia using Land Change Modeler (LCM) under policy scenarios. Following identification of twelve important biophysical and socio-economic spatial drivers, the LCM accurately simulated land-use changes over the period 1995–2015, with validation against the 1995 land use map giving an overall accuracy of 85–88 %. Under a business-as-usual scenario, the LCM predicted that during the period 2015 to 2035 continuing deforestation may leave forest cover accounting for only 4 % of the total BRB area, and cause declines in dryland from 45 % to 40 % and in rice-field farming from 24 % to 22 %. The results of that scenario also indicate the prospect of massive urban development, increasing from 18 % of the BRB area in 2015 to 30 % in 2035, with increasing threats to food security and water resources. Both percentage changes and a mean-weighted fractal dimension index suggest increased risks of forest fragmentation and urban aggregation. A spatial planning-influenced scenario, which aims to reduce forest loss and support watershed protection, is predicted to lead to 5.5 % forest cover, 37 % dryland, 29 % rice-field farming and 24 % urban area in 2035. Sensitivity analysis of the LCM showed that the model results were more sensitive to drivers, spatial resolution, and policy scenarios than to uncertainty in model parameters. It is concluded that despite some limitations, the LCM successfully provided" insights into policy impacts on land-uses in BRB, and the roles of forest and rice-field protection in spatial planning are essential in controlling urban development for watershed sustainability.

Distribution of suitable habitat of Firmiana danxiaensis H.H.Hsue and H.S.Kiu in China: An integrated analysis based on changes in climate and high forest thematic resolution land use

The distribution of species is mostly influenced by climate synergistic effects and land use. The prediction of endangered species is dependent on fine-scale environmental features, especially in forests. The capture of fine-scale suitable habitats is bounded by low spatial resolution and coarse categorization. In this study, we improved the land use information and forest spatial detail through high forest thematic resolution land use data. To understand the relative influence of environmental factors, suitable habitat models for Chinese endangered tree species (Firmiana danxiaensis) under three climate and high forest thematic resolution land use conditions was constructed. We also assess F. danxiaensis 's response to climate and land use, and differential performance in land use on the suitable habitat. The area of suitable habitat for F. danxiaensis grows slowly under the SSP1-2.6 (shared social pathway scenario) scenario, decreases by 21.33% from the present to 2090 under the SSP2-4.5 scenario, and expands significantly under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. We conclude that high forest thematic resolution land use is beneficial in capturing species' requirements for specific habitats and especially necessary in predicting endangered species. At the same time, the distribution of suitable habitats for species is primarily driven by climate, and limited their development by land use. The study shows that the synthetic effects of climate and land use change on F. danxiaensis are positive, with a marked trend toward the northeast. As a consequence, some endangered species are able to benefit from future SSPs scenarios, in particular they respond more strongly to the SSP5-8.5 scenario than to the other scenarios. Assessing the role of changes in the climate and high forest thematic resolution land use on F. danxiaensis will help promote sustainable land use management and contribute to the conservation policy for Chinese endangered species.

Expert knowledge-based modelling approach for mapping beekeeping suitability area

It is becoming increasingly accepted that beekeeping is declining due to the damaging effect of global changes such as climate and land-use change that directly and indirectly impact Apis Melliferas. Despite numerous investigations, a comprehensive study that incorporates both global and local knowledge has yet to be conducted. For a long time, researchers have suggested that expert knowledge should be taken into account when creating decision support tools for managing activities related to natural resources, such as beekeeping. Unlike previous studies, this research seeks to tackle these questions while also introducing the concept of ecosystem service in modelling, offering a fresh perspective on sustainable land use. To achieve this goal, we combined several methods, including using literature knowledge, beekeeper knowledge, and multi-source geospatial data. These data are employed in a hierarchical fuzzy inference system in a unified way. The proposed approach was applied in the Québec region and the suggested technique appears to be both reliable and effective. The validation step revealed that the landscape variable, particularly the area used for agriculture or grassland, had the greatest impact on changes in hive weight throughout the season. In addition, we demonstrated that meteorological factors such as rainfall and relative humidity are strongly correlated to beekeeping. We showed that access to data and knowledge can be a critical factor in decision-making in the beekeeping industry, and thus we suggest that wild-bees conservationists, decision-makers, farmers, beekeepers, and other stakeholders adopt a collaborative approach.

TIC-driven sustainable land use mode in the Loess Plateau: A case study of gully land consolidation project in Yan'an City, China

The Loess Plateau is one of the most severely eroded areas in the world. The complexity of the multiple challenges facing the Loess Plateau entails the support of scientific and systematic innovations in land use. Based on technological innovation cluster (TIC) theory, this paper develops a self-circulation structure model for the TIC to analyze the hierarchical structure of the land-use innovations in the Loess Plateau. Then, employing the self-circulation structure model and taking the “Gully Land Consolidation Project” (GLCP) as a case study, this paper proposes one TIC-driven sustainable land use mode (TSLUM). A TIC has been developed among innovations in the TSLUM. The structure of TSLUM consists of three types of innovations: basic, related, and infrastructure innovations. Basic innovations are generally radical innovations that breed related, and infrastructure innovations. Diffusion-based and reversal-based mechanisms govern the evolution of the TSLUM. These two clustering mechanisms integrate with each other and jointly promote the development of the TSLUM in a self-circulation way. Furthermore, the TSLUM exhibits multiple functions, such as optimizing gully-slope interaction mechanism, providing continuous driving forces, consolidating the achievements of the “Grain for Green Project”, bolstering rural livelihoods, and fostering some feasible ways for food security. The results obtained will be useful for advancing sustainable land use and regional sustainable development in the Loess Plateau via TICs effectively and systematically.

Spatiotemporal Land use/Land cover Changes in Bangalore Rural District, Karnataka

Determining land-use/land-cover (LULC) changes provides valuable insights into the dynamics of the Earth's surface and is crucial for a variety of purposes. To monitor changes in agricultural land to optimize land use, manage crop rotations, and enhance sustainable agricultural practices LULC used. LISS III and LISS IV satellite images for 2010 and 2020 were used to generate the LULC map and compared to analyse the changes. Landforms in five categories Agriculture land, Built-up, Wasteland and Water bodies were analysed in the four taluks of Bangalore rural District. In Nelamangala and Hosekote built-up increased by 3 % of total area, where as in Devanahalli built-up area increased by 7 % of total area. Agricultural land has reduced 2 % of total area in Devanahalli but whereas 2 % of agricultural land reduced in Devanahali in a decade time reflecting the Kempegowda international airport in Devanahalli. Provide recommendations for sustainable land use planning and development based on the study's findings. Analysis involves a combination of remote sensing, GIS, and fieldwork to comprehensively understand and manage spatiotemporal land use changes in a specific region. Future scope of this study is Use models to project future land use changes based on different scenarios and Provide recommendations for sustainable land use planning and development based on the study's findings. Keywords: Agricultural Land, Landuse/Landcover, Satellite Image, Spatio-temporal, Sustainable planning

An ecological perspective for analysing rural depopulation and abandonment

Abstract Population loss in rural areas is rapidly increasing in high‐income countries, raising concerns and debate, given its socio‐economic consequences. Despite the evident environmental dimension of the phenomenon, ecological knowledge has been neglected in the analysis of actions aiming to reverse rural depopulation. Particularly, cultural landscapes reflect memories of ecological processes that have configured current patterns of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Based on ecological principles, we present a conceptual procedure to assess the behaviour of social–ecological systems subjected to depopulation, projecting their expected trajectories through time within a framework defined jointly by demographic and environmental–ecological dimensions (in our case, biodiversity, carbon storage, pollution control, water resources and soil conservation). We applied this procedure to various alternative interventions designed to confront depopulation in Spain: (1) non‐intervention, (2) maintenance of the historical landscape configuration, (3) active conservation, (4) extensive, sustainable land use and (5) intensified land use. We conclude that extensive, sustainable land use better optimizes criteria of demographic consolidation, environmental impact, resilience and implementation of actions confronting depopulation. We highlight the need to incorporate ecological knowledge into the assessment and application of actions confronting rural depopulation. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Spatial Analysis of Locational Vulnerability of Fish Drying Cottage Industry of Kudawella, Sri Lanka

Informal fishing industries in Sri Lanka are in vulnerable areas and their industrial locations are risky. Fish Drying cottage industry of Kudawella is fast growing and spreading in the recent years within the village and to the outside. The industry has informal economy and perfectly competitive market characteristics which enables free entrance and exit and less legal bindings. Although the industry generates a significant direct and indirect employment opportunities and income, it has also created social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities. Vice versa, the industry has become vulnerable due to various social, economic and environmental factors too. Therefore, it the study aims to spatially identify the vulnerability of fish drying cottage industry. The study identified the factors affecting the vulnerability of the industry by conducting a literature survey and were evaluated through observations and the experience of the researchers. 381 industry locations and the relevant 9 criteria maps were mapped by using Open Street Mapping and ArcMap 10.8, such as proximity to the harbour, accessible roads, environmentally sensitive areas, access to the major tourist attraction in the village; ―Hummanaya‖ the blowhole, the coast, Tsunami reservation, social infrastructure and population density and selection for projects conducted by the government. For the weighted overlay analysis, each criterion was weighted based on their relative contribution to the vulnerability of the industry. The resulting map showed that higher portion of the village a higher percentage of existing number of manufactures are moderately vulnerable while a 4.2% of land in the village is severely vulnerable for the industry. However, no manufacturing site was found to be severely vulnerable within the concerned period. The village is an Urban Development Authority declared urban area which is having economic potential due to factors such as existence of the Blowhole and abundancy of coastal and shallow water resources. Therefore, the study suggests the decision makers to make decisions to upgrade informal sector to ensure to avoid vulnerable locations of Industry and they can earmark suitable locational area to ensure the sustainable utilization of land.
 Keywords: Cottage industry, Fish drying, GIS, Sustainable land use, Weighted overlay analysis

Determination of land surface temperature and urban heat island effects with remote sensing capabilities: the case of Kayseri, Türkiye

Kayseri, a densely urbanized province in Türkiye, grapples with pressing challenges of air pollution and limited green spaces, accentuating the need for strategic urban planning. This study, utilizing Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 satellite imagery, investigates the evolution of land surface temperatures (LST) and urban heat island (UHI) effects in key districts—Kocasinan, Melikgazi, Talas, and Hacılar—between 2013 and 2022. This research has been complemented with an analysis of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Normalized Difference Built-Up Index (NDBI), exploring correlations among the LST, UHI, NDVI, and NDBI changes. The findings indicate that a significant portion (65% and 88%) of the study area remained unchanged with respect to the NDVI and NDBI differences. This research’s findings reveal that a substantial portion (65% and 88%) of the study area exhibited consistency in the NDVI and NDBI. Noteworthy increases in the NDVI were observed in 20% of the region, while only 4% exhibited higher NDBI. Strikingly, the UHI displayed strong negative correlations with the NDVI and robust positive correlations with the NDBI. The LST changes demonstrated a reduced temperature range, from 21 to 51 °C in 2013, to 18 to 40 °C in 2022. Localized environmental factors, notably at the National Garden site, showcased the most significant temperature variations. Notably, the UHI exhibited strong negative correlations with the NDVI and strong positive correlations with the NDBI. The study’s results emphasize the interplay among the NDBI, LST, and UHI and an inverse relationship with the NDVI and NDBI, LST, and UHI. These findings hold implications for urban planning and policymaking, particularly in the context of resilient and sustainable land use planning and the UHI mitigation. This research underscores the intricate interplay among the NDBI, LST, and UHI, highlighting an inverse relationship with the NDVI. These findings hold crucial implications for resilient and sustainable urban planning, particularly in mitigating the UHI effects. Despite limited vacant spaces in Kayseri, geospatial techniques for identifying potential green spaces can facilitate swift UHI mitigation measures. Acknowledging Kayseri’s complex dynamics, future research should delve into the UHI responses to urban morphology and design, extending this methodology to analyze the UHI effects in other Turkish cities. This research contributes to a broader understanding of UHI dynamics and sustainable urban planning practices, offering valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and researchers alike.

Wetland Change and its Implication on the Livelihoods of Coastal Community Dwellers in Apoi Creek of Bayelsa State

Wetland change is a process of altering the physical, ecological, and biological composition of a wetlands ecosystem through human activities. This paper aims to give researchers a thorough grasp of the extent of wetland change and its implication for Apoi Creek Coastal Community in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A mixed method of geospatial and survey research design was used for the study. The study employed a random sampling method to select one hundred and sixty-eight dwellers living in communities situated within a 100-metre buffer zone surrounding Apoi Creek, utilizing a carefully structured questionnaire. The data shows significant changes in land use and land cover in Apoi Creek from 1992 to 2022. Decrease in water bodies significantly contributes to changes in wetland ecosystems in the study area. Human activities for survival such as farming, lumbering, fishing and others have significant effects on wetland change. To tackle these issues, various suggestions were put forward. These included safeguarding and revitalizing wetlands, advocating for sustainable land use methods, enacting conservation and management plans, and increasing public awareness about the detrimental effects on the natural environment.

A Simulation of the Spatial Expansion Process of Shrinking Cities Based on the Concept of Smart Shrinkage: A Case Study of the City of Baishan

The coexistence of urban expansion and shrinkage in China has become increasingly apparent; therefore, the current strategic model of growth-oriented urban planning as the top-level design needs to be adjusted. This paper focuses on the city of Baishan, which is a typical shrinking city in China, and explores the feasibility of implementing the concept of smart shrinkage planning in shrinking cities in China by constructing a coupled PLUS-SD model. The results demonstrate the following conclusions: (1) The overall simulation of the coupled PLUS-SD model is superior to that of the PLUS model. In Baishan, the areas with the most changes in construction land will be located at the edges of the landforms by 2030. (2) Using the traditional planning scenario would only exacerbate the rate of construction land expansion in Baishan, deepening the incongruity between the city’s population and construction land. (3) The smart shrinkage scenario will require strict control of the scale of construction land and optimization of the structure of the urban construction land, which would push the city in the direction of healthy and sustainable development. (4) The concept of smart shrinkage planning is a scientific and feasible plan for realizing the efficient and sustainable use of construction land in shrinking cities.

A framework for quantification and integration of green development of cultivated land in China: From the perspective of adaptability‐vitality‐resistance

AbstractExploring the green development of cultivated land (GDCL) and solving the problem of “high consumption and high pollution” caused by the traditional model are of great significance for achieving sustainable use of cultivated land and green agricultural growth. However, the existing consensus on action lacks theoretical support and quantitative analysis. To this end, the objective of this study was to develop a new multidimensional framework considering as an integrated capacity to adaptability‐vitality‐resistance (A‐V‐R) assess GDCL according to the essential requirement of green development. The analytical framework and evaluation system proposed in this study are expected to provide empirical support for the green transition of cultivated land use in China or worldwide. This study determines spatiotemporal differentiation and influencing mechanism of GDCL in China from 2000 to 2020. The results demonstrated that the GDCL level of China was low and characterized by a W‐shaped fluctuation. The regional difference in GDCL is greater than that within the regions and the evolution of different types of regions showed significant path dependence and spatiotemporal inertia. The reason behind this phenomenon is that agricultural technology and socioeconomic development factors such as agricultural mechanization level, urban–rural income equity index and extensively influenced GDCL in different regions. The interaction among driving factors forms a complex multi‐resultant force to construct a comprehensive action mechanism at the GDCL level driven by demand, economy, technology, and ecology. Therefore, this study suggests coordinating the relationship between technological progress, technological diffusion, agricultural total factor productivity, and the GDCL path, in order to effectively reduce the internal and external contradictions of GDCL.

Comparative life-cycle sustainability assessment of centralized and decentralized remediation strategies at the city level

Remediation of contaminated soil at industrial sites has become a challenge and an opportunity for sustainable urban land use, considering the substantial secondary impacts resulting from remediation activities. The design of soil remediation strategies for multi-site remediation from a regional perspective is of great significance for cities with a large number of brownfields. Centralized and decentralized facilities have been studied in different environmental fields, yet limited research has focused on centralized soil remediation, specifically the treatment of contaminated soil from different sites through the construction of shared soil treatment facilities. This study proposes a framework for comparing centralized and decentralized strategies for contaminated soil remediation based on the integration of life-cycle sustainability assessment and multi-objective optimization. With Zhuzhou, an industrial city in China, serving as an example, results show that after optimization, the centralized scenario can reduce total environmental impacts by 25 %–41 %. In addition, the centralized scenario can reduce economic costs by 27 %–39 %, saving up to 176 million USD. The advantages of the centralized soil remediation strategy include: (1) increased use of soil washing, (2) reduced use of off-site disposal, and (3) reduced construction and efficient utilization of soil treatment facilities. In conclusion, the centralized strategy is relatively suitable for cities or areas with a large number of medium or small-sized contaminated sites. The built framework can quantitatively evaluate multiple sites soil remediation at both the city and individual site level, allowing for a straightforward and objective comparison with the optimal remediation design.

Design and Performance Analysis of Foldable Solar Panel for Agrivoltaics System.

This study investigates the use of a foldable solar panel system equipped with a dynamic tracking algorithm for agrivoltaics system (AVS) applications. It aims to simultaneously meet the requirements for renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. The design focuses on improving solar energy capture while facilitating crop growth through adjustable shading. The results show that foldable panels, controlled by the tracking algorithm, significantly outperform fixed panels in energy efficiency, achieving up to a 15% gain in power generation and uniform power generation throughout the day. Despite the presence of shadows of adjacent panels in the early morning and late evening, the system's effectiveness in creating microclimates for diverse crops demonstrates its substantial value. The foldable design not only protects crops from adverse climate conditions across different seasons but also generates energy efficiently. This demonstrates a step forward in sustainable land use and food security.

Environmental sustainability in high‐income countries: Does natural resource protection, financial inclusion, and energy innovation matters?

AbstractEnvironmental sustainability (ES) is critical for high‐income countries (HICs) because of their high ecological footprints. They are responsible for global environmental problems as they consume more natural resources, produce more output, and generate more greenhouse gases than other countries, which could have severe consequences for land degradation. In the context of resource conservation and land development policies, this study examined the impact of natural resource protection (i.e., land, water, and biodiversity), financial institution inclusion, financial market inclusion, and energy innovation (EI) on the enhancement of ES in 15 HICs from 1995 to 2020. The study applied Feasible GLS and Prais–Winsten regression to consider cross‐sectional dependence, autocorrelation, heteroscedasticity, and slope heterogeneity problems for unbiased and robust findings along with 2nd generation cointegration tests and the JKS Granger non‐causality test. Natural resource protection, financial institution inclusion, financial market inclusion, and EI have positive effects on ES, along with green energy and environmental regulations. It was also found that an increase in real income negatively impacts ES, as it increases the use of natural resources and energy and generates more waste and pollution which further accelerates land degradation. Cointegration and causality also exist between variables of interest. This shows that protecting natural resources, increasing financial inclusion, and EI can be successful strategies for fostering a green transition, reducing environmental impacts, and embracing more sustainable practices and laws to meet development goals and develop sustainable land use policies. This study suggests that HICs should protect land, water, and biodiversity, promote green financing, digital payments, EI, energy diversification, and environmental protection to achieve ES which is critically important to reduce land degradation.

Agrivoltaic in a Semi-Aride Climate: Co-Existence of Agricultural Activities in Utility-Scale Plants of EGP for Multiple and Sustainable Land Use

The benefits deriving from the coexistence of energy production from a photovoltaic plant and crops growth on the same land have been investigated in Enel Green Power photovoltaic plant of Totana, in the semi-arid region of Murcia, in Spain. In this area, scarcity of water resources and high temperatures can have a major impact on production and agrivoltaic can be relevant for the potential benefits of shading on crops. Pepper “Bola”, aloe vera and thyme have been selected for their economic importance and adaptation to the conditions of the area. The results reported are related to the testing areas in the corridors between two modules rows and to the control area. For pepper, an increase of more than 60% in the agricultural yield and in fresh mean weight and of more than 30% for the fruits number have been observed in the corridors, with respect to the control area. For aloe and thyme in the corridor zone a higher plant biomass (more than 30% and 20%, respectively) has been recorded, compared to the control area. An increase of 11% in weight of the fresh biomass has also been detected for thyme in the corridor after about one year from the implementation. The results obtained in the first year have shown that the intermittent shade and microclimate generated by the photovoltaic panels in the corridor area could benefit pepper, aloe vera and thyme cultivation. These trials will continue in next crop cycles, to confirm the preliminary results.

‘Kesho’ Scenario Development for Supporting Water-Energy Food Security under Future Conditions in Zanzibar

Social-ecological interactions mediate water–energy–food security in small developing islands, but community-scale insights are underrepresented in nexus research. These interactions are dynamic in their response to environmental and anthropogenic pressures and need to be understood to inform sustainable land use planning into the future. This study centered on bringing together diverse stakeholders to explore water–energy–food futures using the “Kesho” (meaning “tomorrow” in Kiswahili) scenario tool for two of the largest islands that comprise the Zanzibar Archipelago. The methodology comprised four core stages: (1) exploration of how past drivers of change impacted water–energy–food security; (2) modeling of a Business as Usual Scenario for land cover change; (3) narrative development to describe alternative futures for 2030 based on themes developed at the community scale; and (4) predictions about how narratives would shape land cover and its implications for the nexus. These results were used to model alternate land cover scenarios in TerrSet IDRISI (v. 18.31) and produce visual representations of expected change. Findings demonstrated that deforestation, saltwater incursion, and a reduction in permanent waterbodies were projected by 2030 in a Business as Usual Scenario. Three alternative scenario narratives were developed, these included Adaptation, Ecosystem Management, and Settlement Planning. The results demonstrate that the effectiveness of actions under the scenario options differ between the islands, indicating the importance of understanding the suitability of national policies across considered scales. Synergies across the alternative scenario narratives also emerged, including integrated approaches for managing environmental change, community participation in decision making, effective protection of forests, cultural sensitivity to settlement planning, and poverty alleviation. These synergies could be used to plan strategic action towards effectively strengthening water–energy–food security in Zanzibar.