Assessing Spatial-Temporal Changes in Monetary Values of Urban Ecosystem Services through Remotely Sensed Data

Muhammad Zaman-ul-Haq, Ambrina Kanwal, Akber Abid Gardezi, Hina Fatima, Zafeer Saqib, Syed Atif Bokhari, Emad Abouel Nasr, Shafiq Ahmad and Muhammad Shafiq ()
Additional contact information
Muhammad Zaman-ul-Haq: GIS and Eco-Informatics Laboratory, Department of Environmental Science, International Islamic University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Ambrina Kanwal: Department of Computer Sciences, Bahria University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Akber Abid Gardezi: Department of Computer Science, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
Hina Fatima: Department of Environmental Science, Allama Iqbal Open University, H-8, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Zafeer Saqib: GIS and Eco-Informatics Laboratory, Department of Environmental Science, International Islamic University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Syed Atif Bokhari: Department of Geography, Government Post Graduate College, Asghar Mall, Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan
Emad Abouel Nasr: Department of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia
Shafiq Ahmad: Department of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia
Muhammad Shafiq: Department of Information and Communication Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 22, 1-23

Abstract: Reckless urbanization in developing regions is leading to the deterioration of the urban environment. The ensuing impacts can place a burden on urban ecology, urban infrastructure, and residents. This scenario requires a combination of avoidance measures and a detailed assessment of the ecological sustainability of the city. While monetary assessments are certainly conceivable, in this study, the contributions of urban environmental infrastructure are weighed financially. Semi-planned (Jhang) and planned (Faisalabad) urban settlements provided the context for this survey. The study uses the Benefit Transfer Method (BTM) to assess changes in the monetary value of urban ecosystem services (UES) from remote sensing data. This finding suggests that urbanization in Pakistan is devouring productive ecological land in urban areas. The assessment shows that between 1989 and 2019, the agricultural area in Faisalabad shrank (−17.38%), and the built-up area increased (16.05%). Likewise, in Jhang City, the built-up area (4.44%) and wasteland (3.10%) swelled. However, during this period (1989–2019), the proportion of agricultural land in Jhang City decreased (−8.93%). As a result, prime areas of UES are falling back into low-return areas. It also found that provisioning ecosystem services (PES) accounted for a significant portion (68.12%) of the UES produced in Faisalabad and Jhang (69.72%), respectively. In contrast, Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) contributed the smallest share of UES in Faisalabad (1.63%) and Jhang (1.65%). However, the remaining two services, regulatory and support services, made significant contributions. The assessment shows the role of incoherence, inconsistency, resource constraints, and neglect in compromising the urban environmental integrity of these cities. This situation requires a comprehensive assessment and coordinated effort. For this, it is feasible and useful to combine socioeconomic information with land cover data through computerized equipment.

Keywords: LULC; urbanization; urban ecosystem services; remote sensing; urban environmental resilience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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