Monitoring Sustainable Land Use in Baghdad City with Multi-Temporal Satellite Images and Cloud Based Analysis Employing GEE and Remote Sensing
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Abstract
A multi-temporal Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 analysis within Google Earth Engine (GEE) was conducted to analyze land use and land cover dynamics in Baghdad, Iraq. The NDVI-NDBI indices revealed that vegetation increased gradually, especially along the Tigris River and in rural areas, while urban expansion peaked around 2021 and slightly declined by 2024. There has been a reduction in degraded land and a partial stabilization of urban growth according to LULC maps. For rapidly growing cities like Baghdad, continuous monitoring and sustainable land-use planning are essential to balancing urban development and environmental preservation. Baghdad has experienced accelerated urban expansion over the last decade, placing increasing pressure on agricultural areas, natural vegetation, and ecological stability. This study applies a cloud-based methodology using NDVI and NDBI indices, annual composite generation, and automated image processing within GEE to quantify changes in vegetation cover, built-up areas, and land degradation across the city for the years 2018, 2021, and 2024. This research aims to examine the relationship between urban growth and vegetation dynamics, identify environmentally vulnerable zones, and support sustainable land-use policies in Baghdad. Results show a substantial increase in vegetation cover rising by approximately 55% in parallel with a slight decline in non-vegetated land. Urban expansion patterns observed in 2021 align with previous studies conducted, confirming the regional trend of increasing built-up surfaces. To enhance sustainability, the study recommends adopting precision agriculture and drip-irrigation systems to increase vegetative cover and reduce water loss, particularly in peri-urban districts highly affected by land degradation.
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