Land Suitability Analysis for Sustainable Urban Development: A Case of Nabatiyeh Region in Lebanon

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Amal Al-Ghorayeb¹  Walid Al-Shaar²  Adel Elkordi¹  Ghaleb Faour²  Mohamad Al-Shaar⁵  Youssef Attalah¹ 

[1] Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Beirut Arab University;National Center for Remote Sensing, National Council for Scientific Research;LVMT—Laboratoire Ville Mobilité Transport, Université Gustave Eiffel;Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University;Geography Department, Centre de Recherche en Environnement-Espace Méditerranée Orientale, Saint-Joseph University, Campus des Sciences Humaines

关键词: urban development;    sustainability;    land suitability;    multi-criteria decision analysis;    AHP;    GIS;    Lebanon;   

DOI  :  10.3390/j6020020

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Urbanization has led to the degradation of green areas and natural resources, which are critical for preserving biodiversity and natural benefits. Sustainable urban development (SUD) practices aim to balance urbanization with preserving and protecting green land and natural resources to achieve greater sustainability. This study evaluated land suitability for SUD in the Nabatiyeh area of Lebanon using a multi-criteria decision analysis technique, the analytical hierarchy process, combined with a geographic information system. The elevations and slopes were the most important criteria, followed by the distances from urban agglomeration and industrial areas, accessibility, and land cover types, with corresponding weights of 34% and 36%, 12%, 9%, 6%, and 3%, respectively. The study created a suitability map for future SUD. This identification assists urban planners and policymakers in making informed decisions regarding the development of urban areas. The study’s findings highlight the efficiency of combining multi-criteria decision analysis with geospatial techniques for urban planning and environmental management in promoting sustainable development and protecting the environment. Future research could explore the possibility of integrating administrative reforms to promote SUD, including improving governance, enhancing the efficiency of governmental agencies responsible for urban development, building scientific capacities, and increasing officials’ accountability.

【 授权许可】

CC BY