Spatiotemporal Assessment of Urbanization Effects on Vegetation, Land Surface Temperature and Urban Heat Island Dynamics in Islamabad, Pakistan (2013-2024)

Title:Spatiotemporal Assessment of Urbanization Effects on Vegetation, Land Surface Temperature and Urban Heat Island Dynamics in Islamabad, Pakistan (2013–2024) Description:This research report presents a remote-sensing and GIS-based assessment of urbanization effects on vegetation condition, land surface temperature, and urban heat island dynamics in Islamabad, Pakistan, from 2013 to 2024. Landsat imagery accessed through Google Earth Engine was used to examine NDVI, land use/land cover, land surface temperature, urban heat island intensity, precipitation variability, and potential evapotranspiration. The results show expansion of built-up land, decline of barren land, vegetation stress in 2024, and persistent hot zones in central and southern built-up/barren areas. The report highlights the importance of green infrastructure, ecological corridor protection, water-body conservation, and climate-sensitive urban planning for reducing heat exposure in Islamabad. Keywords:Islamabad; Urbanization; Land Surface Temperature; Urban Heat Island; NDVI; LULC; Landsat; Google Earth Engine; Remote Sensing; Vegetation Stress; Precipitation Variability; Potential Evapotranspiration; GIS Version:v1.0 Publisher:Zenodo Language:English