Multi-Index Remote Sensing Assessment of Agro-Climatic Change and Agricultural Responses in Temperate and Semi-Arid Regions

Diverse climatic regions exhibit unique agro-climatic vulnerabilities that are significantly shaped by climate stress. Understanding these distinct vulnerabilities is essential for developing effective policies to mitigate climate change impacts and ensuring sustainable environmental management. This study examines agro-climatic vulnerabilities in Nottinghamshire County (United Kingdom) and Udaipur District (India) from 2000 to 2024, comparing climate change impacts across temperate and semi-arid agricultural systems that represent fundamentally different system behaviours under contrasting climatic conditions. Using multi-temporal Landsat imagery and WorldClim climate data, nine environmental indices were analysed: the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Moisture Stress Index (MSI), Land Surface Temperature (LST), Temperature Condition Index (TCI), Vegetation Health Index (VHI), Drought Risk Index (DRI), and Crop Health Index (CHI). The results reveal contrasting regional trajectories that challenge conventional assumptions about climate vulnerability. Udaipur exhibited improved vegetation and moisture conditions across the observation period, whereas Nottinghamshire showed intensifying moisture stress and declining precipitation. Warming was more pronounced in Nottinghamshire, while strong inter-index correlations validated the monitoring approach. These findings indicate that Udaipur benefits from intensified monsoon patterns, requiring flood mitigation and water-storage infrastructure, whereas Nottinghamshire’s rising moisture stress underscores the need for sustained monitoring and adaptive management. This comparative framework provides evidence-based insights for region-specific adaptation strategies essential to sustainable agricultural development across diverse agro-climatic zones.