NDVI-based Analysis of Green Space Decline and Air Quality in Dhaka: Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

The rapid industrialization of cities poses significant challenges to sustainable development, particularly environmental degradation. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognize the urgent need to address this issue in industrialized regions. A case study approach obtained valuable insights into Dhaka's green spaces and their implications for SDG 11 and 15. This study explores the decrease in green cover in Dhaka City attributed to unplanned industrialization and examines its relationship with the degradation of air quality during the period spanning from 1991 to 2021. The image classification procedure yielded overall accuracy rates ranging from 0.82 to 0.90. The findings reveal a significant decline of 16% in healthy vegetation and 8.98% in shrubs/grasslands, possibly due to a 34.7% increase in built-up/bare lands. AQI increased from 124 in 1996 to 172 in 2018 in Dhaka but decreased to 163 in 2021, probably due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unplanned industrialization has led to reduced green cover and increased air pollution in the city. The study emphasizes the utility of NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) measurements to address these challenges and achieve the SDGs. These measurements provide valuable information for decision-making and policy formulation, promoting the creation of green environments.