Impact of land use and land cover change on land surface temperature: Comparative studies in four cities in southwestern Ethiopia

The urban climate has undergone significant changes due to rapid population growth, leading to a decline in vegetation cover and an increase in land surface temperature (LST). This study aims to assess the influence of land use land cover (LULC) changes on LST in four major urban areas in southwestern Ethiopia, namely Jimma, Bonga, Mattu and Nekemte, during the period from 2002 to 2024. To investigate the impact of LULC dynamics on LST, 30 m spatial resolution images from Landsat were utilized, including Thematic Mapper (TM) for the year 2002 and Landsat Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared (TIRS) for the years 2014 and 2024. Over the past 22 years, the mean LST has increased by 2.81 °C, 2.94 °C, 3.37 °C, and 3.96 °C for Bonga, Nekemte, Mattu, and Jimma, respectively. The increase in LST can be attributed to various factors, but one of the primary reasons is linked to the rapid urbanization and decrease in forest cover. Changes in LULC triggered by rapid urbanization significantly influences LST in major cities. The results highlight the increment of impervious surface and the decline in vegetation cover as key factors contributing to the upward trend in LST. The results indicate that urban centers with less vegetation cover experienced higher LST compared to their surroundings. The results of this study indicate the necessity of effective urban planning to increase vegetation cover through urban greenery and parks to mitigate the increasing trends of LST, which can improve urban thermal comfort levels.