Environmental resources are critical to the long-term development and provision of human needs; nonetheless, they continue to be threatened by negative changes as a result of human and natural challenges. One of the most pressing issues the world has faced today is climate change; this phenomenon has had severe impact on the natural environment and the whole ecosystem. It is thought to be the most essential determinant in land use/ land cover (LULC) change. However, LULC changes are important components of contemporary environmental monitoring and management systems, as well as a large and crucial element of research to emphasize the regional, local, and global climate change effects.

This research's interest is on the Northern parts of Sulaimani province, in Iraq's Kurdistan Region, is located between longitudes (44° 33' 40.6" - 45° 23' 9.98") east and latitudes (35° 35' 11.45" - 36° 30' 6.28") north in the region's northern and north-eastern parts. It covers an area of 4012.92 square kilometers and is divided into three districts (Rania, Pshdar, and Dukan). The northern of Sulaimani, like any other regional and global area, is not immune to the effects of global warming and climate change, including annual droughts and climate fluctuations, the consequences of which are clearly seen in LULC change, especially in the change of vegetation cover, and the area of water bodies, as well as the cultivation patterns of the study area.

KEY WORDS: Climate change, LULC change, RS& GIS, Northern of Sulaimani, OBIA.

Published: June 2024

DOI:10.14500/ccergp2022.Gen466

http://dx.doi.org/10.14500/ccergp2022.Gen466