Socio-economic drivers and impacts of land use and land cover changes in a coastal municipality of Bangladesh

This study aimed to investigate the pattern of LULC change and its associated socio-economic drivers and consequences in Patuakhali Municipality of Bangladesh from 2002 to 2022 using Landsat imagery, GIS technology, and a household survey. The study found a significant increase in built-up areas (from 1.71 to 4.72 sq. km.) and a decrease in barren/farming lands (from 5.50 to 1.75 sq. km.). In terms of effectiveness, the demographic components were the most effective among all other categories, including environmental, infrastructural, citizen services, social, and transport and communication. The changes in LULC have negatively impacted the natural environment. Moreover, it compressed the consequences categorized by fifteen items, including the most significant: increased residential costs, household expenditure, and infrastructural development. Based on the regression analysis, the R2 = 0.6884 directed a moderate-to-strong explanatory power with the various significant factors, including economic (β = 1.94, p = 0.00), demographic (β = 1.52, p = 0.00), infrastructural development (β = 1.19, p = 0.00), and environmental (β = 0.63, p = 0.00) influences in the change of LULC. The findings of this study can be used to prepare master plans of this urban area and this can also be applied to other cities in the country and to other countries of the world. Furthermore, the study can also support to attainment of the criteria of inclusive, safe and sustainable cities.