Geospatial Assessment of Land Use–Land Cover Dynamics and Their Impacts on Local Climate in Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between land use–land cover (LULC) changes and local climate variation in Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria, using geospatial techniques and climate data from 1984 to 2020. Landsat satellite imagery and ERA5/NIMET datasets were utilized to analyze spatial and temporal changes in vegetation and surface temperature. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST) were derived from multi-date Landsat imageries. Results reveal a significant increase in built-up areas (+22.46%) and a reduction in dense vegetation (−52.8%) over the study period, corresponding with a notable rise in mean LST from 26.9°C to 35.2°C. The findings demonstrate a strong linkage between urban expansion, vegetation degradation, and localized warming, highlighting the need for sustainable land management and urban planning policies that integrate climate adaptation measures.