Evaluation of ecological environmental quality based on Remote Sensing Ecological Index using the Google Earth Engine platform: A case study of Kabul city

Rapid urbanization and population growth have intensified anthropogenic pressures on ecological environments, particularly in developing cities, thereby challenging the balance between urban expansion and environmental sustainability. In this context, the quantitative monitoring of spatiotemporal ecological changes has become essential for sustainable urban planning. This study aims to assess the ecological environmental quality of Kabul, Afghanistan, over the 1990–2020 period using the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) within the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud-based platform. Long-term Landsat time-series imagery was utilized to derive four key ecological indicators: greenness (NDVI), wetness (WET), dryness (NDBSI), and land surface temperature (LST). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to integrate these indicators and construct the RSEI model. Satellite images from 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020 were analyzed at ten-year intervals. The results indicate that ecological environmental quality in Kabul was predominantly concentrated in moderate and high classes throughout the study period, exhibiting a fluctuating yet relatively stable trend. The mean RSEI values were calculated as 0.551, 0.651, 0.547, and 0.506 for the respective years. These findings provide valuable scientific insights for ecological monitoring, urban planning, and the formulation of sustainable development strategies.