Insights from Earth Map: Unraveling Environmental Dynamics in the Euphrates–Tigris Basin

Ayhan Ateşoğlu (), Mustafa Hakkı Aydoğdu, Kasım Yenigün, Alfonso Sanchez-Paus Díaz, Giulio Marchi and Fidan Şevval Bulut
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Ayhan Ateşoğlu: Department of Forestry Engineering, Bartin University, 74100 Bartin, Türkiye
Mustafa Hakkı Aydoğdu: Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Harran University, 63100 Şanlıurfa, Türkiye
Kasım Yenigün: General Directorate of Combating Desertification and Erosion, 06100 Ankara, Türkiye
Alfonso Sanchez-Paus Díaz: Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, 00154 Rome, Italy
Giulio Marchi: Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, 00154 Rome, Italy
Fidan Şevval Bulut: Department of Forestry Engineering, Bartin University, 74100 Bartin, Türkiye

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 16, 1-27

Abstract: The Euphrates–Tigris Basin is experiencing significant environmental transformations due to climate change, Land Use and Land Cover Change (LULCC), and anthropogenic pressures. This study employs Earth Map, an open-access remote sensing platform, to comprehensively assess climate trends, vegetation dynamics, water resource variability, and land degradation across the basin. Key findings reveal a geographic shift toward aridity, with declining precipitation in high-altitude headwater regions and rising temperatures exacerbating water scarcity. While cropland expansion and localized improvements in land productivity were observed, large areas—particularly in hyperarid and steppe zones—show early signs of degradation, increasing the risk of dust source expansion. LULCC analysis highlights substantial wetland loss, irreversible urban growth, and agricultural encroachment into fragile ecosystems, with Iraq experiencing the most pronounced transformations. Climate projections under the SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios indicate intensified warming and aridity, threatening hydrological stability. This study underscores the urgent need for integrated water management, Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN), and climate-resilient policies to safeguard the basin’s ecological and socioeconomic resilience. Earth Map is a vital tool for monitoring environmental changes, offering rapid insights for policymakers and stakeholders in this data-scarce region. Future research should include higher-resolution datasets and localized socioeconomic data to improve adaptive strategies.

Keywords: Euphrates–Tigris Basin; climate change; LULCC; land degradation; Earth Map (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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