Assessment and Valuation of Climate Regulation Ecosystem Service Benefits from Semi-arid, Urban Forest Ecosystem: Findings from Delhi Ridge Forest

Urban forests provide many ecosystem services that significantly enhance urban centres’ sustainability and city residents’ well-being. They play a vital role in capturing carbon dioxide and facilitating its long-term storage through biomass and soil, thereby contributing to climate regulation. The Delhi Ridge forest is a key urban forest ecosystem that substantially benefits the surrounding communities. In this study, we assessed the vegetation carbon stocks (VCS), soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, and total carbon stocks (TCS) across four segments of the Delhi Ridge using non-destructive biomass assessment methods. Our findings indicated that the VCS, SOC stocks (up to a 10 cm depth), and TCS for the entire Delhi Ridge are 47.72, 25.77, and 73.48 Mg C ha-1, respectively. In contrast to traditional assessments of carbon stocks, we approached this analysis from a monetary perspective. By linking the climate regulation benefits of the Delhi Ridge to the social cost of carbon in India, we found that the CO2 equivalent for the entire Delhi Ridge amounts to 269.44 Mg ha-1, offering climate damage prevention benefits valued at US$23,171.48 ha-1. These results are intended to enhance stakeholders’ understanding of the intangible climate regulation benefits that arise from the Delhi Ridge and to support policymakers in formulating targeted, climate-resilient strategies for the city.