SUSTAINABLE URBANIZATION USING

REMOTE SENSING AND GIS – AN OVERVIEW

G. Padmaja1, M.V.S.S. Giridhar2, V. Shiva Chandra3,
G. Sreenivasa Rao4 and R. Sandhya Rani4
1,3,4
Asst. Prof., Dept. of Civil Engg., MVSR Engg. College, Hyderabad
2
Assoc Prof, Center for Water Resources, IST, JNTU, Hyderabad
gantipadmaja6@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Globally, the migration to urban areas is rapidly increasing leading to an unprecedented shift and
significant changes relating to population distribution and spatial patterns. The change in the

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dominant habitat of world population makes the process of urbanization a significant global trend
of the twenty-first century. Urban areas no longer represent and function as mere spaces for
settlements and habitation but have significant role in the global development. These areas not
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only shape the present land cover patterns but also prominently influence social and economic
issues. Poorly managed urban growth and development can exaggerate inequalities, increase in
vulnerability among marginalized population. It is essential that urban cities need to focus more on
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orderly expansion of the existing land resources by implementing sustainable practices without
depriving the needs and aspirations of future generations. Issues related to unsustainable
development in urban areas needs to be addressed with the help of recent technologies such as
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Remote Sensing and GIS. Mapping of urbanization specifies locations where growth/expansion is
taking place, help in identifying areas having serious environmental issues like depletion of natural
resources and pollution. The integration of these new technologies with proper planning not only
helps judicious utilization of the existing natural resources but also emphasize on environmental
protection such that basic needs of future generations are secured.

INTRODUCTION
Urban areas occupy a small portion on the surface of the earth while devouring two thirds of the
energy resources and are responsible for over 70% of CO2 emissions. Urban population is
growing at a faster rate which cities cannot accommodate. Cities are not self-sufficient and are
dependent on neighboring towns and villages for their food resources and other utilities.
Increased migrations from neighboring areas during the last few decades have expanded cities
to such an extent that they are now struggling hard to provide basic amenities and services.
Globally, major cities have crisis for power, transportation, water systems and pollution related
issues which continue to increase due to overcrowding. Urban poverty associated with
unemployment and inadequate housing facilities is another serious socioeconomic challenge.
The circumstances that led to rapid urbanization may vary from one city to another, but they
have one thing in common that is urban areas are becoming increasingly fragile and are not
capable of providing needs for all its residents.
“The world is going through an unprecedented transition. The global balance of power is
shifting, extreme poverty has dropped to historic lows, more people than ever before now live in

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384 National Conference on Sustainable Water and Environmental Management (SWEM - 2017)

cities, and new technologies are revolutionizing social behaviors and entire industries.” (UNDP
Strategic Plan 2014-17).
Additionally, cities require amenities like building materials, fuel, industrial and household
chemicals, foodstuffs, water and land, resulting in adverse impacts on the environment. Water
bodies and aquatic ecosystems are an integral part of urban landscape constituting an important
source of fresh water. Degradation of water bodies in urban areas has detrimental impact on
domestic water supply, industrial & commercial sector, recreational & agricultural activities. On
most occasions human interaction with water bodies leads to contamination and pollution, thus
it is necessary to restore, preserve and build up such water bodies. Continuous spatial and
temporal monitoring of these changes is required to assess the effects of urbanization on the
environment. Therefore the capabilities of RS & GIS can be effectively used to monitor the
expansion of cities on different spatiotemporal scales.

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Urbanization & Environmental Impact: Urbanization refers to unprecedented population
shift from rural to urban areas, "the gradual increase in the proportion of people living in urban
areas", and the ways in which each society acclimatizes to the change. Many people move into
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cities for better economic opportunities but it disturbs the ecological balance thus leading to loss
of water bodies, agriculture land, increased built up area and diminished green cover. Demand
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for water and energy proliferates where the supply of the same may be a difficult proposition.
The environmental impacts related to urbanization are as follows:
 Poverty: Enormous growth in urban population leads to poverty as cities cannot
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accommodate and also fail to provide basic amenities and services for all its residents.
 Pollution: Several human activities along with increased energy consumption due to
urbanization lead to air, water, noise and thermal pollution with significant impact on
human health.
In 2011, EPA identified India and Russia as the fourth largest contributors to the global
CO2 emissions due to fossil fuel combustion, cement manufacturing, and gas flaring
(EPA 2015). In 2003, the construction sector in India accounted for maximum
CO2 emissions (22 %), while the transportation industry (road transport, aviation, and
shipping) contributed to 12.9 % of the national CO2 emissions (Parikh et al. 2009). In
2007, 87 % of the total CO2 emissions from the transport industry were attributed to road
transport (MoEF 2010). Hyderabad witnessed a reduction in the content of black carbon,
particulate matter, CO, and ozone by about 57%, 60%, 40%, and 50%, respectively,
during a weeklong nationwide truck strike (Sharma et al. 2010). Rapid urbanization has
also enhanced living standards leading to increased vehicle ownership pattern.
 Solid Waste: Urbanization is increasing all over the planet and municipal solid waste is
one of the byproducts of urban living. Cities are becoming hubs for garbage production,
and the amount of garbage they create is increasing even faster than its population,
according to a recent report from the World Bank.
 Flash Floods: Changes in Land Use and Land cover due to Urban Sprawl magnifies the
risk of environmental hazards such as flash flooding."As the urban sprawl of rapid
urbanization expands outwards and upwards, it provides ready opportunities for hazards
such as floods, storms and earthquakes to wreak havoc. Half the world's population now
lives in urban areas, and that figure is estimated to rise 70% by 2050. That's a lot of
 Sustainable Urbanization using Remote Sensing and GIS – An Overview 385

vulnerable and exposed people given that urban floods will represent the lion's share of
total flood impact because of infrastructure, institutions and processes that are not yet up
to the task ahead", warns Wahlström.
 Diminishing Green Cover& Destruction of habitat: Construction activities and other
physical barriers due to urbanization triggers to loss of green cover there by destructing
the natural habitat of the area. Increase in population has adversely affected the green
cover in urban India—Chennai and Mumbai have a meager 0.46 m2 (Srivathsan 2013)
and 0.12 m2 (FAO 1998) of green space per capita, respectively, as compared to the UN
recommended standard of 9 m2 of green space per capita. The shrinking of residential
gardens adds to environmental degradation. The observed change in lifestyle at the
expense of garden space indicates reduction of urban green cover and impact on the
environment and changes in the weather patterns especially rainfall.
 Loss of biodiversity: urbanization has adverse effect on the animal populations which

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are inhibited by toxic substances leading to the loss of habitat and non-availability of
food sources in those areas.
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Urban heat islands: Urban sprawl and unplanned growth of Indian cities pose significant
threat to the local climate. Cities are becoming urban heat islands due to less vegetative
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cover and due to direct exposure of soil to sun's energy leading to higher surface
temperatures. Additionally vehicular emissions, factories, industries and domestic heating
and cooling units release even more heat as a result of which most of the cities are often 1
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to 3 °C (1.8 to 5.4 °F) warmer than surrounding landscapes. Impacts also include
reducing soil moisture and a reduction in absorption of carbon dioxide emissions.
 Social Unrest: Urban centers provide livelihood opportunities and also act as
accelerators for social and economic progress. Since ancient times cities are centers of
innovation in technology, commerce, social organization and ideas. The concentration of
people, resources and ideas allows innovation to occur at tremendous speed, generating
economic activity and wealth at unparalleled rates. Globally cities are emerging as hot
spots for entrepreneurs to achieve their dreams. However, cities are also home to
significant concentrations of the poor and marginalized population. Urban poverty is
growing and the World Bank estimates that, by 2035, most of the world’s extreme poor
will be found in urban areas leading to social unrest.
 Energy consumption: Population growth is intrinsically linked to increased demand for
energy. The compounded annual growth rate of total installed capacity for power
generation in India during 1971–2012 stood at 6.58 % (Ministry of Statistics & Program
Implementation 2013). The building industry consumes 40 % of the national electricity
consumption and is estimated to increase to 76 % by 2040 (Centre for Science &
Environment, New Delhi, India 2014). The domestic sector accounted for 22 % of the
total electricity sales in 2011–2012 (Ministry of Statistics & Program
Implementation 2013). Excess of domestic energy consumption may be eliminated
through energy friendly practices. Around 3000–5000 kWh of energy can be saved
through implementation of energy efficient measures primarily aimed at reducing
building cooling needs (NHB 2015).
386 National Conference on Sustainable Water and Environmental Management (SWEM - 2017)

 Heat stress induced health hazards: Warmer neighborhoods increase the vulnerability
of residents to heat exposure (Harlan et al. 2006). Heat waves aggravate thermal
discomfort in heat islands, often culminating in health issues. Heat stroke, heat
exhaustion, infectious diseases, cardiovascular and respiratory problems aggravate during
summer seasons (Harlan et al. 2006). The population group most susceptible to these
harmful effects comprises of poor, the physically weak, and the elderly (CDC 2015).
More than 21 % of the Indian population lives below the poverty line (Reserve Bank of
India 2013), and remains extremely vulnerable to health hazards.
Sustainable Urban Development
Sustainable urban development is the balance between meeting the needs of the present
generation while protecting the environment to safeguard the needs of future generations. The
growing human population and its demands on the earth's resources generate a need for

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sustainable practices. Implementing these practices often requires collaboration among diverse
organizations, stakeholder’s participation and appropriate decision making. RS and GIS allows
users across the globe to share ideas on how to meet their resource needs, plan efficient land
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use, and protect the environment to guarantee the survival of future generations.
Role of RS & GIS
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Satellite Remote Sensing data can be used for mapping the land use pattern in urban areas and
to gather detailed up to-date information while GIS can be used to develop a database system
for storing urban information. The spatial and temporal changes of urban areas can be detected
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efficiently by using RS and GIS. Preparation of digital database for all features of land use and
recurrent changes due to urbanization are needed for better environment management of
existing resources. These play a pivotal role in efficient formulation and implementation of the
land based sustainable development strategies.
The spatial patterns of urban expansion over different time periods can be mapped,
monitored and assessed accurately using satellite data (remotely sensed data) along with
conventional ground data (Lata et al.,2001). Mapping of urban sprawl indicates the location
where grow this taking place and this helps in identifying the environmental crisis like depletion
of natural resources and also suggests the likely future directions and patterns of sprawling
growth. Ultimately, the power to manage sprawl resides with local municipal governments that
vary considerably in terms of will and ability to address sprawl issues.
Ways and Means for Sustainable Urbanization
 Urban Rain water Harvesting: Ironically, urban areas in India are facing acute
water scarcity while most of the streets are often flooded during monsoon. This has led to
serious problems with quality and quantity of ground water. This is despite the fact that
all these cities receive good rainfall. However, this rainfall occurs during short spells with
high intensity. (Most of the rain falls in just 100 hours out of 8,760 hours in a year).
Because of such short duration of heavy rain, most of the rain falling on the surface tends
to flow away rapidly leaving very little for recharge of ground water. Most of the
traditional water harvesting systems in cities are neglected and have fallen into disuse,
worsening the urban water scenario. One of the solutions to the urban water crisis
is rainwater harvesting - capturing the runoff. GIS is an efficient and cost-effective
 Sustainable Urbanization using Remote Sensing and GIS – An Overview 387

system that helps in monitoring larger areas which are suitable for RWH and artificial
recharge suitability, thus facilitating decision-making for investments in RWH.
 Afforestation: Planting trees and incorporation of green spaces should be considered as
a fundamental component in urban planning. Improper implementation of afforestation
programs is a major drawback in our country. Urbanization should be accompanied with
afforestation to ensure planned proliferation of green spaces. Green belts should be raised
along railway lines, canals, and streams as per the National Policy on forests to improve
the green cover. Remote Sensing satellite imagery can be effectively used for close
monitoring of the degree of deforestation and take immediate actions. GIS can be helpful
to create more effective and efficient farming practices. It can also be used to analyze the
soil type, to determine the best crop, best site / place, how to maintain nutrition levels to
best benefit crop. It may be fully integrated thus helping government and other agencies
to manage programs that support farmers and protect the environment thereby increasing

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the food production leading to sustainable development.
 Pollution Control: Combating all sources of pollution by adopting practices such as
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zero emissions, zero discharge and noise control to reduce air, water, noise pollution
with stringent legislation and also by creating awareness among public about the
consequences they may likely have to face in an event of non compliance. Digital
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mapping technologies not only offer benefits in capturing and maintaining timely and
accurate information but also help in identifying areas having severe pollution levels
especially with respect to air and water pollution so that necessary actions may be
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proposed for mitigation.

 Transportation and Mobility Systems: High density of Indian roadways can be utilized
as green corridors for attenuating atmospheric pollution, and inducing uniform cooling.
Incorporation of permeable pavements such as grassed footpaths and greening of parking
lots will help to decrease the proportion of paved areas, aid in storm water retention, and
reduce surface heating. Significant reduction in atmospheric pollutant levels in many
areas during truck strike period highlights the need for lesser polluting modes of
transport. Public transport and use of CNG-based vehicles should be promoted to reduce
mobile emissions from private vehicles. Car pooling and use of public transport like
metro rail needs to be encouraged. Implementation of stringent rules aimed at regulating
vehicular life, such as banning of commercial vehicles older than 15 years as in Delhi
(Times of India 2014), will help to overcome the lack of public support. RS and GIS can
be used for improved transportation facilities by providing information regarding best
possible routes, finding the shortest path, monitoring the road conditions etc. there by
reducing traffic congestion, air pollution and noise pollution in urban areas.
 Energy Systems: Cities face a trade-off in energy generation systems therefore it is
essential to increase the dependency on renewable sources such as solar, wind or hydro
which are less polluting, produce fewer GHG emissions and often have lower life-cycle
costs. Energy efficiency measures in buildings, businesses and industries can provide
additional benefits including cost-savings and increased income. Effective management
of energy systems is a complex challenge but GIS has the potential to address these issues
efficiently and in a cost effective way.
388 National Conference on Sustainable Water and Environmental Management (SWEM - 2017)

 Environmental Protection: Urbanization at the cost of environment may lead to

substantial degradation which may be irreversible. Water contamination, pollution and
depletion of natural resources are side effects to rapid modernization. It is essential to
protect the environment by practicing sustainable methodologies as a key element in
urban planning. RS and GIS can be used to monitor the environmental conditions at
regular time intervals and analyze changes such as identifying areas which are likely to be
prone to natural or man-made hazards.
 Waste Management: Cities have enormous scope for innovative ideas related to waste
management such as waste-to-energy technologies (e.g., methane from landfills), reusing
and recycling as an economic opportunity and ecosystem-based sewage treatment. Solid
waste management techniques such as composting, generating energy from methane
combustion helps in reduction of methane emissions in landfills, increase forest carbon
sequestration and contribute to overall reduction of greenhouse gases. GIS technology

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can be used for selection of suitable sites for waste disposal sites.
 Participation of Stakeholders: Involving the local community and local government
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in developmental and planning activities helps in restoring the environment. Public
participation is a prerequisite for the success of any urban development program.
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 Job Creation: Combat poverty by promoting economic development and job

opportunities and discouraging mass migration of people from neighboring villages and
towns in search of opportunities and better quality of living. Government should take
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initiative and help them in creation of opportunities at the local level and discourage
migration towards cities.
 Planning / Design: Environmental Impact Assessment may also be included in the
design along with the economics in every project that is likely to commence. During the
design stage itself the assessment of impact helps in finding solutions to the impending
problems related to environmental sustainability. Therefore it is need of the hour for
reformation of urban planning and design to meet the goals of sustainable development.
Human activities such as construction and operation of highways, rail roads, pipelines,
airports, radioactive waste disposal have potential adverse effects on the environment. RS
& GIS play a vital role in adopting efficient EIA strategies by integrating various GIS
layers thus assisting in quick assessment of available natural features.

CONCLUSIONS
The aim of urban sustainability is planned urban growth so as to reduce over exploitation of
natural resources and dependency on non-renewable energy. Sustainable urban development
can mitigate the impacts of climate change by reducing the ecological footprint, pollution, by
increasing the efficiency of land use, recycling waste, increased use of sustainable materials
and by switching to renewable energy resources. In a nut shell, the march towards sustainable
development in urban areas is to manage the existing natural resources without degradation
and provide services through effective design and implementation of policies. Sustainable
practices also help in solving issues related to air quality, water quality, waste management,
effective transport, improved health and well-being thereby reducing the environmental impact
on the planet earth. Thus Satellite Remote sensing and GIS offer a cost-effective solution for
 Sustainable Urbanization using Remote Sensing and GIS – An Overview 389

collecting vast amounts of data compared to resource-intensive conventional approaches such

as survey and field monitoring.

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