Research & reports

Pierre Chopin, Anton Parisi, Paola Clerino, Agnès Fargue‐Lelièvre, Carnel Megbleto, Lia van Wesenbeeck, Anna Kirstgen, Paris Pencharz, Charlotte Liborio-Cornet, Marta Sylla, Tomasz Kowalczyk, Gati András, Nadira Berbić, Iva Bedenko, Michele D'Ostuni, Penny Zafiraki, Odysseas Sekkas, Tina Katika, C. Kennard · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Europe

This presentation compiles insights, case studies, and strategic models from the "City Soils, City Souls: Urban Agriculture Contribution" workshop, an official New European Bauhaus satellite event. It merges findings from the Horizon Europe FOODCITYBOOST project and other EU initiatives to outline data-driven, community-led strategies for combating urban sprawl, revitalizing peri-urban land, and building circular food systems in European cities.

Angelica Mendoza Beltrán, Susana Toboso‐Chavero, Juan David Arosemena Polo, Adriana Lucia Romero Lestido, gara villalba · npj Urban Sustainability · Spain (Barcelona)

This study investigates the spatial and temporal effects of nutrient circularity strategies in peri-urban agriculture (peri-UA) using a regionalized life cycle assessment tool, focusing on the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona. It examines how nutrient recovery from municipal waste impacts climate change, eutrophication, resource depletion, and water consumption. The research finds that applying compost with current waste management infrastructure can reduce the carbon footprint of peri-UA areas by up to 85%.

Giorgia Tucci, Willy Müller · Contesti Città territori progetti · Spain (Barcelona)

The Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat (PABL) is a leading European example of managing peri-urban agricultural systems in complex metropolitan areas of the Barcelona region. The park has established a multilevel governance framework that coordinates regulatory protection, agricultural production, and spatial development. The study emphasizes the importance of governance continuity in stabilizing agro-ecological practices, reinforcing short supply chains, and preventing land speculation.

Johannes Langemeyer, Gabriele Gervasi, Sergi Ventura Caballé, Gara Villalba Méndez · Ecology and Society · Spain (Barcelona)

This study examined the spatial-temporal transformations of peri-urban agriculture in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona from 2003 to 2015, combining spatial analysis of land use changes with qualitative insights from stakeholder interviews and workshops. Results reveal that the significant decline of peri-urban agriculture is driven by a complex interplay of real-estate speculation, land fragmentation, infrastructure development, evolving land use policies, and ecological pressures from land abandonment and environmental protection. Despite efforts to preserve agricultural spaces, the decline of peri-urban farming remains significant.

V. Costanzo, M. Detommaso, G. Evola, F. Nocera, M. Mistretta, S. Longo · Energy and Buildings · Italy

A study introduces and validates a novel Deep Water Culture hydroponic roof system as a building-integrated solution for enhancing indoor thermal conditions and energy efficiency in Mediterranean climates. Unlike conventional green roofs, the system removes the soil layer and uses a water-based nutrient solution that simultaneously supports plant growth and acts as a thermal energy buffer; a full-scale prototype was experimentally tested on an existing office building in Catania, Italy, and transient thermal modelling with TRNSYS then simulated different roof configurations using the experimental data. Results show the hydroponic roof reduces indoor peak temperatures by up to 2.8°C in summer, increases them by 2.4°C in winter, and shifts heat flux peaks by up to 16 hours, with annual simulations indicating energy savings of 47% for space cooling and 51% for space heating.

· Wikipedia (español) · Spain

A Wikipedia article on the Huerta de Valencia, the historic agricultural belt surrounding the city of Valencia. Origins trace to Roman settlement, but the irrigation infrastructure that shaped the current landscape was developed during the Al-Andalus (Islamic) period. Nine major irrigation canals (acequias), including Quart and Mestalla, are governed by the Tribunal de las Aguas de Valencia, inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

· Wikipedia (English) · Spain

An English-language Wikipedia article on the Horta of Valencia, the historic agricultural area surrounding metropolitan Valencia, covering 631.9 km2 with a 2019 population of 1,567,118. Its traditional Arab-era irrigation system was designated a FAO Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) in 2019 as the 'Historical Waterscape of l'Horta de Valencia.'

· Wikipedia (italiano) · Italy

An Italian Wikipedia article on Parco Agricolo Sud Milano, established on 23 April 1990 under Lombardy regional law (LR 24), covering 46,300 hectares across roughly 60 municipalities. More than 1,400 farms operate within the park, with cereals accounting for 43% of cultivation, rice 22%, and forage 16%. Forty-one traditional irrigated meadows (marcite) are protected within the park, alongside native mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, plus reported invasive species such as nutria.

· Wikipedia (italiano) · Italy

An Italian Wikipedia article on the cascine (traditional farmsteads) of Milan, of which about a hundred survive today, 59 of them municipally owned. Eighteen are derelict, while the rest are used as libraries, recreation centres, facilities for the elderly and disabled, or housing; thirteen remain active farms engaged in rice cultivation, dairy farming, or horse breeding. The oldest, Cascina Chiesa Rossa, dates to the 10th century, with other major cascine built between the 11th and 15th centuries.

· Viquipèdia (Catalan Wikipedia) · Spain

The Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat is a protected agricultural area (about 3,473 ha, with 2,938 ha designated as farmland) in the Llobregat river delta within the Barcelona metropolitan region, managed by a consortium established in 1998. Vegetables account for 63% of crops, with fruit trees making up most of the rest. Spanning 14 municipalities, it functions as an institutional framework preserving agricultural landscape and wetland ecosystems amid urban expansion.

Marco Focacci, Isabella De Meo, Alessandro Paletto, Fabio Salbitano · Agroforestry Systems · Italy

A study analyzed urban plans, national laws, and regional legislation in Italy, along with interviews with decision-makers, to examine the occurrence of Urban and Peri-urban Agroforestry (UPAF). Findings showed that 4 out of 140 Italian cities intentionally included agroforestry in voluntary green plans, and 12 cities had incidental UPAF elements in compulsory documents. This indicates agroforestry is present but not widely incorporated, with grass-root organizations and knowledge hubs being crucial for its promotion.

Hugo Rochard, Céline Clauzel, Nathalie Blanc · Urban Ecosystems · France (Paris)

The impact of civic-led hedgerow planting on landscape connectivity was assessed in the southern Paris periurban context. A graph modeling methodology was applied to 94 hedgerow sites, revealing that these sites strengthen landscape connectivity. This quantitative assessment was coupled with qualitative data collected from local civic leaders regarding their perception of social-ecological functions associated with hedgerow planting.

Jan Szturc, Tomáš Mašíček, Adéla Navrátilová, Jana Kozlovský Dufková · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Europe

This study explored the production potential of urban farming in Olomouc, Czech Republic, using spatial analysis to identify suitable spaces. Results indicated that 408.04 hectares of currently unused land could be repurposed for urban farming, yielding 7,099.9 tons of vegetables. This production could meet 42.68% of the city's total vegetable demand, though detailed analysis is always necessary for specific areas due to varying potential.

Javier Rodrigo-Ilarri, Claudia P. Romero-Hernández, Sergio Salazar-Galán, María-Elena Rodrigo-Clavero · Sustainability · Spain (Valencia)

This article analyzes the impact of urban sprawl on the Valencia Plain aquifer system from 1990 to 2018 using the Weighted Environmental Index (WEI). Results show urban surfaces expanded by 70% and rainfed agricultural areas declined by over 59%, leading to a 9.2% reduction in environmental value (WEI decreased from 44.80 to 40.68). These changes threaten ecosystem sustainability and reduce the capacity to deliver ecosystem services.

Sergi Ventura, J.R. Armengol Miró, David Camacho-Caballero, Enric Casellas, Ricard Segura-Barrero, Alberto Martilli, gara villalba · Urban Climate · Spain (Barcelona)

This study used the Pseudo Global Warming method and WRF model to assess urban heat adaptation strategies in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona. Three strategies were evaluated: increasing rooftop albedo, implementing irrigated sedum green roofs, and increasing peri-urban agriculture and urban parks. While increasing rooftop albedo provided the greatest daytime cooling (−1.75 °C), and green roofs and peri-urban agriculture showed moderate regulation, none of the strategies fully counterbalanced the projected 6 °C temperature increase by 2100, indicating a limited capacity of these adaptations under severe warming scenarios.

Jacek Antonkiewicz, Iwona Paśmionka, Grzegorz Szychowski · Soil Science Annual · Poland

Following a flood that inundated allotment gardens in Nysa, southern Poland, for up to 14 days after the water rose on 14 September 2024, researchers analyzed 12 soil samples collected in early spring 2025 from two allotment garden sites. Most soils were found limed and disinfected, with high organic matter but low total potassium, sodium and sulfur. Zinc and copper concentrations exceeded the average for Polish arable soils, pointing to use of materials enriched with these elements.

Shanza Neda Hussain, Aritra Ghosh · Energy and Buildings · United Kingdom

This study examined a sustainable residential building design in Birmingham, UK, combining rooftop agrivoltaics, vacuum gasochromic smart glazing and onsite green hydrogen production. Comparing vertical, optimal 30-degree tilt and dome monofacial/bifacial agrivoltaic setups growing tomatoes, tomato production held steady at 0.31 kg/m2 despite varying shading; maximum electricity generation was 7,919 kWh from bifacial 30-degree panels, the lowest levelized cost of electricity was 0.061 British pounds/kWh from monofacial 30-degree panels, the vacuum gasochromic glazing had the lowest U-value (1.32 W/m2K) but the greatest thickness (24.6 mm), and the hydrogen needed annually for the glazing was estimated at 52.56 g, with the bifacial 30-degree system theoretically covering up to about 64.23 km per day for a hydrogen vehicle.

Finn Williams, Ruby Johnston, Aiden Campbell · International Journal of Horticulture and Food Science · Germany

At the Christchurch College of Food Technology in New Zealand, researchers compared five growing systems -- rooftop container, raised bed, peri-urban orchard, rural orchard (reference), and heated greenhouse -- for avocado (Persea americana) cv. 'Hass' under simulated Bavarian Plateau conditions, using a randomized complete block design with four replications over three years (2020-2022). The rural orchard yielded highest at 22.3 kg per tree, peri-urban raised beds achieved 18.7 kg per tree using 56% less land, and rooftop containers (200 L pots) produced only 6.8 kg per tree, confirming that container culture is viable but yield-limited; rooftop systems had the lowest weed pressure, peri-urban orchards supported the richest arthropod biodiversity, and ISSR molecular markers confirmed genetic uniformity among grafted plants across systems, ruling out somaclonal variation as a source of the yield differences.

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, HM Treasury, Department for Business and Trade · GOV.UK · United Kingdom

On 23 December 2025 the UK government announced it would raise the 100% Agricultural and Business Property Reliefs threshold from £1m to £2.5m, effective 6 April 2026. Married couples or civil partners will be able to pass on assets worth up to £5m tax free, and up to £5.65m when combined with existing nil-rate bands. The government projects that the number of estates claiming agricultural property relief affected by the 2026-27 reforms will roughly halve, from 375 to 185.

Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) · Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) · United Kingdom

According to MHCLG's statistical release (published 9 October 2025), the extent of land designated as Green Belt in England as at 31 March 2025 was estimated at 1,633,220 hectares, around 12.5% of England's land area. This represents a decrease of 660 hectares (0.04%) from 31 March 2024, driven mainly by local authority boundary policy changes (650 hectares across six authorities) and digital boundary updates (10 hectares). By region, London has the highest proportion of its area designated Green Belt, at 22.1%.

Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) · Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) · United Kingdom

A technical note describing how the UK's MHCLG compiles official statistics on green belt land in England, collecting area figures as of 31 March each year from local authorities via the Annual Green Belt (AGB) return. The 2024-25 response rate was 99% across 177 local authorities, and prior-year area figures are subject to scheduled revisions.

European Environment Agency (EEA) · European Environment Agency (EEA) · Europe

According to this EEA indicator, water scarcity affected 28% of EU territory during at least one season in 2023. Although water abstraction fell 14% across the EU between 2000 and 2023, the area affected by water scarcity has not shrunk overall. Southern Europe experiences water scarcity year-round, with about 30% of the population in areas of permanent water stress and up to 70% in areas of seasonal summer stress; Cyprus and Malta are the most severely affected (seasonal WEI+ above 40%), with Greece, Romania, Portugal, Italy and Spain also notably affected in spring and summer.

· Viquipèdia (català) · Spain

According to Catalan Wikipedia, the irrigated farmland (horta) of Valencia took shape in the Middle Ages under Islamic rule through the construction of séquies (irrigation channels) and assuts (weirs). The main séquies of the Túria river have been governed since Islamic times by the Tribunal de les Aigües, inscribed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage in 2009. Eight séquies in the Vega de València draw water from the Túria and have historically supported orange, vegetable and rice cultivation, but many now run beneath houses and streets, with rice farming described as being in crisis as farmland is converted to housing.

Consell de la Generalitat Valenciana · Diari Oficial de la Generalitat Valenciana (DOGV) / BOE · Spain

A decree-law issued by the Consell (Valencian regional government) on 4 February 2025, published 5 February 2025, amending the 2018 Huerta law and its implementing plan (Decreto 219/2018) to simplify administrative procedures for reconstruction following the 29 October 2024 DANA flooding. It abolishes the Huerta Council and chapters on agrarian development planning and farm inventories, and relaxes urban-planning parameters for agricultural buildings.

· Wikipedia (italiano) · Italy

An Italian Wikipedia article on marcite, a traditional Lombard irrigated-meadow technique combining supply and drainage channels on gently and evenly sloped land to keep grass growing through winter under a thin flowing water layer. While ordinary meadows are cut 4-5 times a year, marcite could be harvested 7 or more times, often 9, with the third cutting in late May (maggengo) alone accounting for roughly 25% of annual yield. Origins are uncertain, though Cistercian monks from France are credited with spreading the technique in northern Italy; it was largely replaced by maize cultivation in the 20th century, and today 41 marcite are protected within Parco Agricolo Sud Milano.