A Case Study on Green Areas Change-Detection in Baghdad Using Artificial Intelligence

Experts predict that the size of urban areas will rise by around three times between the years 2000 and 2030 [1]. It is well documented that the "structures of our cities" have a major impact on the occurrence of severe or extreme weather in the surrounding regional environment [2]. In rapidly expanding cities, especially in developing nations, these urban morphologies are characterized by impermeable surfaces, rapid loss of green area, and habitat fragmentation [3]. Green areas in cities, known collectively as urban forests, help lessen regional and local storm-related flooding and water pollution [4], improve air and water quality, moderate temperature, and promote nutrient cycling in soil, all while sequestering carbon [5]. So, Massive land transformations in urban areas--from green to concrete – result in an ever-increasing number of impermeable surfaces, resulting in an unnatural environment [6].