The impact of land use and land cover on regulating ecosystem services provided by green infrastructures in Campinas, Brazil

Abstract Over the past two decades, ecosystem services have gained recognition for their role in balancing ecosystems and human well-being. These encompass processes such as water purification, climate regulation, and pollination, which are often undervalued despite being critical for ecological balance and human health. Green infrastructure (GI) is especially recognized for its natural cooling effects, including shading and evapotranspiration, which help moderate local temperatures. This study investigates the role of GI in climate regulation in Campinas, Brazil, examining Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes and their impact on Land Surface Temperature (LST) using multi-temporal satellite data from 2018 to early 2024. Large-scale processing was conducted on a cloud-based geospatial platform (Google Earth Engine) to capture spatial–temporal patterns and improve analytical efficiency. Using remote sensing data, it evaluates vegetation indices and their correlation with LST across three zones: a densely urbanized area, a transitional agricultural zone, and a conservation forest. Findings indicate that areas near conservation forests exhibit significantly lower LST, whereas urban zones with reduced vegetation cover experience higher temperatures. The study demonstrates how GI effectively contributes to climate adaptation in tropical cities. This analysis identifies key spatial and temporal patterns that can inform sustainable urban planning. While noting limitations in spatial resolution, the study recommends integrating higher-resolution remote sensing and in situ data to enhance environmental analyses. These findings provide an evidence-based, replicable framework to guide urban planning and policy, promoting the protection and expansion of GI to mitigate urban heat and enhance climate resilience in tropical cities.