Integrated Spatiotemporal and Statistical Approach for Ecological Livability Index Mapping in semi/ arid urban environments

Livability consists of a range of characteristics of the environment that make it an appropriate and attractive environment for life, economic activities, and human interactions. A prompt and thorough evaluation of the urban ecological environment and its changing trends is crucial for urban planning, human settlement, and sustainable urban development. This research aimed to analyze the spatiotemporal variability of the ecological livability index (ELI) over a 20-year period through spatiotemporal analysis using CRITIC and structural equation methods. The ELI was calculated and appraised using remote sensing imagery, to derive fundamental variables including Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Land Surface Temperature (LST), Normalized Difference Bare Soil Index (NDBSI); the Building Index (BI) and the Soil Index (SI), and Near Water Distance (NWD). The structural equation analysis showed that the path coefficients for NDVIi, LSTi, AODi, NWDi, and NDBSIi were 0.948, 0.232, 0.171, 0.074, and − 0.064, respectively. The findings derived from the CRITIC method concerning variable weighting revealed a positive trend in ecological livability within the Tabriz Metropolitan area. Notably, the average ELI in 2023 was recorded at 1.60, compared to 1.58 in 2003, signifying a general enhancement in the quality of livability of the city.