GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Year:2024 | Volume:14 | Issue:2|Papers Count:7

unplanned urban physical development inflicts irreparable damages such as Land use change causes, vegetation loss, an increase in the temperature of the earth's surface, an increase in the price of residential land, and the tendency to marginalization becomes unplanned. In this research, To investigate urban changes during a 25-year study period from 1995 to 2020 to prevent the mentioned damages due to physical development without a plan three Landsat images for analysis were obtained from the USGS website.  Pre-processing and processes to identify the changes on the images to estimate the physical development were done in ArcGIS and ENVI software, the surface temperature was extracted, the marginal areas were determined, the change map was obtained and finally the results were validated. The results showed that in 2020 and 2015, the temperature of the earth's surface in the northern and northeastern regions is higher than in other directions of the city, during 2020-1995, about 1850 hectares have been added to the area of urban areas. The main reason for the physical development of Zahedan city in the east and northeast direction is the expansion of marginalization in agricultural lands. Also, one of the reasons for the expansion of the city of Zahedan in the south and southwest direction is the presence of industrial towns and administrative centers such as universities. Therefore, due to the increase of built-up lands (marginal areas), the agricultural land in the north and northeast of Zahedan City has decreased and its temperature has increased. It is necessary to continuously monitor urban changes so that urban managers can carefully plan for the physical development of cities to prevent uncontrolled urban physical development and its possible future risks. Extended Abstract1-IntroductionToday, one of the important characteristics of urbanization is the rapid physical development of cities due to new urban developments, and these developments are manifested in the form of rapid population growth and physical growth of the city. In Iran, the physical development of cities has been due to reasons such as the integration of villages with cities, migrations from villages to cities, etc. These factors have influenced the physical development of cities and have caused many problems, which have manifested themselves in the form of marginal settlements around big cities are like unplanned and unbridled informal constructions. In this study, considering issues such as marginalization and the temperature of the earth's surface, the phenomenon of urban expansion is discussed, and it is one of the main reasons for unbridled urban expansion in Zahedan City. In this research, it has tried to address this issue by using remote sensing, and to some extent, it can prevent urban expansion without a plan. Unbridled physical development of cities causes land use change that causes irreparable damage such as the loss of vegetation on the surface of the earth, increase in the temperature of the earth’s surface, increase in the price of residential land and tendency to marginalization. For this reason, in this research, to prevent the mentioned damages, using Landsat 5 and 8 images for 25 years, the physical development of Zahedan City has been examined. 2-Materials and MethodsFirst, Landsat satellite images were obtained from the USGS website, and radiometric and geometric corrections were applied to the images. Corrected images for 1374, and 1399 were classified by support vector machine method. For the classification of built-up lands, lands with vegetation, built-up lands, and educational samples were taken. About 100 didactic samples were selected for each class. Then the state of vegetation, wasteland, and built-up lands was determined. Based on the classification done from 1374 to 1399, about 1850 hectares were added to the urban area, and the areas with vegetation and barren areas were reduced. Then the obtained results were validated using satellite images and Google Earth images. To evaluate the accuracy of the classified maps, the indices of overall accuracy, user accuracy, produce accuracy, and Kappa coefficient based on 40 correct points of pixels related to vegetation, built-up uses, and wasteland in different directions for review. The accuracy of the classified maps of Zahedan city for the years 1374 and 1399 was taken and calculated from Google Earth and the maps in which the built-up lands, vegetation, and barren lands are completely clear and are also clearly visible in Google Earth. The amount of each index of overall accuracy, user accuracy, producer accuracy, and Kappa coefficient were determined. The validation results showed that the images classified using the support vector machine algorithm have high accuracy. 3- Results and DiscussionBased on the obtained results, the built land in Zahedan city has grown increasingly from 1374 to 1399, and built land has increased from 33729300 to 18503100 square meters. From this amount of built land, 6478200 square meters are marginal areas. So the land with vegetation has started a downward trend since 1374. Agricultural land has decreased from 4,410,900 in 1374 to 735,300 square meters in 1399 and barren lands have also experienced a negative growth from 2014 to 2019. With the loss of vegetation-covered lands, the surface temperature of the northern and northeastern areas of Zahedan city has taken a rising trend, even though during the study period, there was a general downward trend in the surface temperature of the ground, from 49 degrees Celsius since 1374 reached 42 degrees Celsius. 4- ConclusionThe results of this research showed that by examining the urban expansion of Zahedan City using remote sensing about surface temperature and marginalization, according to the maps, it can be concluded that urban expansion in Zahedan City is unbridled and in all directions has happened. The urban expansion of Zahedan city is more in the north, northeast, northwest, and south directions, and no plan has been adopted to prevent urban expansion in the north and northeast directions, which are considered high-risk areas due to their proximity to the Zahedan fault. Agricultural lands have turned into built-up lands as a result of marginalization, and this has caused the temperature of the earth's surface to rise in these areas. One of the main reasons for the expansion of the city to the north, northeast, and northwest is the phenomenon of marginalization, which is the result of indiscriminate migration to Zahedan city. The lands located in the south of Zahedan have been converted into built-up lands due to the favorable climate and the existence of administrative centers such as universities and industrial towns. One of the main reasons for the expansion of the city to the south and southwest was the presence of university industrial estates and administrative centers. According to the obtained results, the growth of the city of Zahedan was unplanned and caused the loss of land with vegetation and instability in the environment. The results of this research show that the further expansion of the city towards the Zahedan fault and areas with vegetation should be prevented. This can be possible by adopting policies to reduce the immigration of Zahedan city or planning for settlement in non-sensitive areas. To avoid Unplanned urban growth is suggested that city managers use remote sensing for urban expansion in the right direction to prevent the expansion of the city towards quality lands, agricultural lands, faulted land, etc.

The reduction of water resources and their inefficient use has had a major impact on the rural economy and the agricultural sector. For this reason, attention to agricultural water management has become a central issue. Therefore, in the present study, an attempt has been made to investigate the factors affecting the optimal management of agricultural water resources in Islamabad West County in Kermanshah province. This research is applied in terms of purpose and is descriptive-analytical analysis. The statistical population consists of heads of agricultural land-exploiting households. The sample size was estimated to be 337 people using Cochran's formula, and Smart PLS software was used to analyze the issue. The analysis of the findings shows that the highest factor loading was estimated for the indicators of increasing the productivity of agricultural products (0.729), water collection and storage pool (0.743), and protection of water resources (0.734). The average Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.801, and composite reliability was evaluated at 0.852. The highest value of t (17.530) in the structural model between variables is related to economic and technical variables. The values obtained for the seven main factors indicate that the structural model of the research has a suitable and acceptable fit and predicts the indicators related to the exogenous structures of the model. The results show that the correct management and increase of water productivity require using a set of economic, technical, educational factors, etc., with the cooperation of people, institutions, and reforms in the structure of laws. Therefore, to improve the condition of the studied villages, the correct exploitation and increase of water efficiency from both quantitative and qualitative dimensions are the limiting factors in increasing agricultural production. Therefore, considering that the agricultural sector, which is the largest consumer of water resources, in the future must compete with other sectors in the field of water consumption and adapt to climate change.   Extended Abstract 1-Introduction Management of supply and development of water resources as an effective and dynamic factor in the direction of planning, policymaking, and providing the necessary facilities for the use of water resources that was formed years ago and focused attention on the development of water resources and political, environmental, organizational, and legal issues. Knowing the factors influencing the management of water resources is an important factor in its excellent planning. Hassan Abad village in Islamabad Gharb city is considered one of the agricultural centers of the county, and the livelihood and activity of its residents depend on farming activities. Water restrictions and drought in recent years have caused the decline of underground water and other water sources. On the other hand, the lack of a proper control system for the optimal use of water has caused competitive behavior in the use of water resources. Considering that agriculture is a basic activity that is highly dependent on water resources, the current research has investigated the factors affecting agricultural water management in this village.   2-Materials and Methods The dominant approach to leading quantitative research in terms of practical purpose, and is based on a descriptive-analytical nature. The statistical population of the research is 21 villages with a population of over 50 people in Hassan Abad district, located in Islamabad Gharb County. The population of this village is estimated to be 8783 people, and the heads of its households are 2471 people. The sample size was calculated based on the number of household heads among 337 people. The distribution of the number of samples in the villages was proportional to their population. The sample selection method was also done randomly in each village. To achieve the goal of the research, a questionnaire was prepared in the form of seven indicators and 58 indicators. Smart PLS software was used to analyze the issues and findings from the questionnaire. In this research, t and q were used for the measurement model of factor loadings and the structural model. To check validity, diagnostic validity (AVE) was used.   3- Results and Discussion The results after running the measurement model twice showed that, out of a total of 58 factors, 55 factors in the form of seven indicators have a factor load greater than 0.5. In the economic index, the highest factor load is related to increasing the productivity of agricultural products, with a factor load of 0.729. Regarding the social index, the highest factor load related to the two factors of coordination between government organizations and popular organizations in water management and water resource security was estimated with a factor load of 0.687. Examining the fit of the structural model showed, that the t-value obtained for all obvious and hidden variables is greater than 1.96. The highest value of t was estimated at 17.530 in the structural model between the variables related to the economic and technical paths. The significance level of all paths was estimated to be less than 0.05. Also, the results of the structural model of the research have a suitable and acceptable fit. Because the value of Q2 for the seven indicators of the case is greater than the intensity of the determined values of 0.02, 0.15, and 0.35.   4- Conclusion The investigation of economic factors effective in agricultural water management shows that economic considerations can act as an incentive and have a fundamental role in the effective use of resources by the farmer. The results also showed that the average factor loadings of the economic index, with a value of 0.694, had a higher value than other indicators. On the other hand, the investigation of social factors plays an important role in drawing the culture of villagers' consumption patterns because it involves forming people's groups and informing farmers about optimal consumption, new methods of irrigation, participation in the management of water resources, and... in addition to saving and reducing costs, it also follows optimal management. Revising the structure of water management, creating a culture of optimal and correct water consumption, and empowering people to reduce irrigation costs are factors that lead to practical and optimal management of water resources. On the other hand, developing a suitable cultivation model based on the management of agricultural water demand leads to agriculture being transformed from a traditional mode to a modern one with higher efficiency, ultimately increasing economic profit. Therefore a one-dimensional view and not having a systematic approach to considering all the components examined in the research can concretely lead to a decrease in the effectiveness of agricultural water management programs. Also, it is necessary to use efficient, economical, and environmentally acceptable methods for its optimization. To achieve this, first of all, public mobilization should be formed through the integrated management of agricultural water resources, and in line with this, suitable support, legal, and management mechanisms should be established.

In the era of climate change, ensuring food security through the utilization of agricultural lands in and around cities is paramount. These lands are threatened by urban expansion, and their preservation requires the support of urban planners. This research examines the issue of repurposing urban agricultural land for other urban uses from a social practice perspective rather than a physical or legal one. The article explores why and how changes in agricultural land use occur and the potential for intervention, guidance, and management of this process from a social practice standpoint. The case study focuses on agricultural lands in the west of Tabriz city over more than 50 years, from the approval of the first urban plan to the present. The study employs historical reconstruction for analysis. “Sayings” are analyzed using texts from urban development plans, while “doings” are derived from maps of the current situation from different years and interviews with long-time neighborhood residents. The findings indicate that changes in the three sources of meanings, materials, and competence have altered social practices in different periods during this period. If this continues, it could lead to changes in land use methods. Also, multiple meanings and corresponding materials and competence coexisted during each period, weakening or strengthening the dominant social practice. Throughout the period, the differing perspectives of urban management, landowners, and citizens have influenced the process of social practice.   Extended Abstract 1-Introduction Food security is vital in the era of climate change, and local food and agricultural systems around cities are one of its main components. New urban expansions highly threaten agricultural lands around cities, and their protection is only possible with the support of urban planners. Previous research has dealt with protecting urban agricultural lands from a physical and legal point of view. Through the lens of social practice, we deal with the issue of using fertile agricultural land for other urban land uses. The investigation aims to determine why and how agricultural land consumption changes and whether it can be intervened by changing social practices.   2-Materials and Methods Social practice as common behavioral patterns is the basis of social norms. But contrary to the norms, no one is punished for leaving. In this study, land use over time is a result of simplified social practice resources in a triangular model, with the vertices of "meanings," "materials," and "competencies." This triangle is discussed from the point of view of residents, urban management, and citizens in different periods. study of social practice is to observe "saying" and "doing." We extracted the saying from the analysis of historical documents (especially urban development plans) and for the doing from the maps of the existing situation and interviews with residents. The studied area of ​​green lands west of Tabriz includes Hokmabad, Qaramelek, Lak Dizej, Grand Park, and Amir Baghi in the north and Laleh and Khatib in the south.   3- Results and Discussion A study of different periods in more than fifty years shows that combining "meanings" and "material" resources creates a specific social practice and affects the environment over time. As the lands that were used as agricultural lands around Tabriz in the first period were assumed to be lands "awaiting development" with the first comprehensive plan of Tabriz, and according to their more suitable prices, the creation of new accesses and urban infrastructures, the existence of financial resources, cooperation of experts and construction workers and public or private sector investors became new neighborhoods in Tabriz city in less than two decades. Based on the social practice in the periods and the existing condition of the lands in each period, we understand that there were different "meanings" in each period, and their "materials" and "competencies" formed the social practices themselves or the existing social practice have "weakened" or "strengthened." During the survey period, we have seen constant conflicts between the meanings and practices of urban management from above and the resistance of the lands. Contrary to the opinion of the city management, the slums inside the park grew and, in some cases, were even stabilized in the following urban development plans or local plans by the "Land Use Change" Commission. The role of citizens has been strengthening or weakening the dominant social practice in different periods according to the dominant meanings. People are in demand to buy freshly picked agricultural and horticultural products during the study period. This practice has been in the periods of strengthening the protection of agricultural lands and weakening the use of land for urban development, which, even after consuming a significant part of the agricultural lands, are still scattered on the site. Research shows that it is possible to reconstruct strong sources of social practice and, in this way, intervene in environmental conditions. The change in public belief about land use as agricultural land - in recent years, especially during the coronavirus era, when the supply of local food became important again - and the sharp increase in the price of vegetables has caused the revival of agriculture. Even changing the approach of the new comprehensive plan to "land protection" and changing the title of the detailed plan under study to "Tabriz Grand Park Protection and Development Plan" is a result of changing "meanings" under the influence of conservation paradigms. In the city's master plan, all resources were aligned with changing the agricultural land to an "urban park," but the lack of financial resources prevented this.   4- Conclusion Based on the discussions, we conclude that rebuilding actions with more substantial resources can intervene in social actions to benefit environmental sustainability. In this approach, it is considered to change practical resources through constituent resources that are the target of interventions. We have seen that cheap land is the primary material for big land dealers. Lands should be made more valuable for their owners with strategies such as transferring development rights or increasing the price of agricultural products. A comparison of two methods of action inside and outside the boundary shows that, with segregation plots, the Net price of a piece of land is reduced, and it is possible to use it for construction. Limited access to roads and urban infrastructure, such as electricity and gas, can also be beneficial.    

The increased demand and consumption level of human societies has led to excessive exploitation of natural capital and increased ecological unsustainability in natural ecosystems, especially in Protected Areas (PAs). Therefore, the continuation of the process of using ecosystem services leads to an increase in ecological pressures and a decrease in the capacity of natural resources to meet human needs. Therefore, in the present study, the spatial-temporal changes in natural capital and the level of ecological sustainability in the Hara PAs from 1989 to 2021 were evaluated using the ecological footprint model. As the results revealed, tidal zones have the most increasing trend among the existing uses, and water areas show the most decreasing trend. In addition, the obtained results indicate that the extent of mangrove habitats has decreased during the studied years. Also, the performance and equivalence results among the uses of the region showed that the water areas (Aquaculture and fishing area) have assigned the highest equivalence coefficient and during this period, they show the greatest decrease in surface area. While mangrove forests with the lowest level of land use have the highest productivity coefficient. In the studied area, the ecological footprint has an increasing trend, the Biological Capacity (BC) is decreasing, and the Ecological Deficit (ED) is increasing. Thus, the ecological footprint index has increased from 1989 to 2021, which indicates the high intensity of resource use. Also, the foot depth index has an increasing trend, which indicates the increase in the intensity of natural capital consumption and the decrease in capital accumulation during the studied years. Therefore, it is necessary to change the pattern of production and consumption to create ecological balance and control unsustainability in this area. On the other hand, preventing the increase of land cover/use changes as well as the protection of natural capital requires the creation of an integrated management for sustainable development and use of natural resources according to the region's BC.   Extended Abstract 1-Introduction Natural capital includes natural resources and environmental services in pristine and natural ecosystems, which play an important role in human well-being and sustainable development. However, changes in natural systems may threaten and destroy this valuable natural capital. Therefore, examining the process of spatial and temporal changes in natural capital helps to evaluate the performance of ecosystems and sustainable development levels in the areas of nature. Population expansion and rapid economic growth have increased human demand for the extraction and consumption of natural capital. This demand has exceeded the capacity of reconstruction and has led to unsustainability and consequences such as resource depletion, global warming, deforestation, and the destruction of biodiversity. The ability of natural systems to provide resources and absorb waste is an important function of natural capital. Therefore, increasing pressure on ecosystems has led to the reduction of natural capital and threats to habitats. In other words, the reduction of natural capital stock is considered evidence of environmental unsustainability. Therefore, the protection of natural capital is necessary to maintain human survival and the availability of environmental services to achieve the goals of sustainable development.   2-Materials and Methods In this study, the multispectral images of the Landsat series in different time frames (1989, 1999, 2009, and 2021) were used to show the spatio-temporal series of changes in the Hara Protected Area (PA), as well as the map of land use classes in this area. The studied images include L5-TM for 1989 and 1999, L7-ETM+ for 2009, and L8 and OLI-TIRS for 2021. To classify the images, the Random Forest (RF) algorithm method was used. This algorithm, which is often used to classify satellite images in the power of spatial resolution, has remarkable results in comparison with the common classification algorithms based on support vector machines and neural networks and represents new methods of combined classification. In the following, the changes were monitored and the accuracy of the images was evaluated. In the present study, classification accuracy was investigated based on the Kappa index and overall accuracy. Ecological footprint calculations depend on the production level of the local economy, the total population, and the level of development of the region, and it is performed for different consumption resources to the area of the relevant biologically productive land. On the other hand, the ecological footprint model balances and simplifies the supply and demand of biological production space in complex ecological and economic processes. Its measurement unit is determined based on the global average unit per ha (gha) because it specifically refers to the performance of biological products at the global level.   3- Results and Discussion As the results showed, among the existing Land Use/Land Cover (LULC), tidal zones have the highest increasing trend during the years 1989-2021. While the water areas in 2021 compared to 1989, show the most decreasing trend. In addition, the obtained results indicate that the mangrove habitats in Hara PA have experienced a decline from 1989 to 2021, and this decline is more visible during the years 2009 to 2021. The results of performance and equivalence among land uses in the region showed that the water areas have assigned the highest coefficient of equivalence and during this period, they show the greatest decrease in surface area. While mangrove forests with the lowest level among land uses have the highest productivity coefficient. The ecological footprint index has increased during the years 1989-2021, which indicates the high intensity of resource use. Also, the Ecological Deficit (ED) ‎ index has an increasing trend, which indicates an increase in the intensity of natural capital consumption and a decrease in capital accumulation during the studied years. During these years, water areas (fisheries) have taken the largest share among natural resources due to the increase in fishing and aquaculture, which can be attributed to the large extent of this use and the high demand of local communities in the area. According to the obtained results, the Ecological Pressure (EP) index has increased in the Hara PA during the years 1989-2021. While the ecological sustainability index shows a decreasing trend. Therefore, the obtained results indicate an increase in ecological pressure and a decrease in stability in the region.   4- Conclusion In general, the obtained results indicate that the increase in population, consumption, economic development, and also the productivity of resources is more than the biological carrying capacity of the region, which has led to the reduction of natural capital during recent decades and the increase of ecological unsustainability. Therefore, it is necessary to change the pattern of production and consumption to create ‎ecological balance and control unsustainability in this area. On the other hand, preventing the ‎increase of LULC, as well as the protection of natural capital requires the ‎creation of an integrated management for sustainable development and use of natural resources ‎according to the region's BC.‎

  Regional recognition and analysis of air pollution is one of the important components in the action plan for environmental sustainability. The present study was conducted to analyze the spatial distribution, the reasons for the persistence of air pollution, and the factors that cause it in the dense population-industrial area of the three metropolitan cities of Tehran, Karaj, and Qazvin. In this regard, the combination of station-satellite and atmospheric data between 2018 and 2023 was used. By using the air quality index (AQI), the days that had an average daily pollution index above 150 and were in an unhealthy condition and continued for at least 6 days or more in the five-year statistical period were extracted. Then, two periods from January 17 to 29, 2023, and December 19 to 28, 2022, when air pollution was the most persistent, were selected for analysis. The results of the synoptic analysis showed that during the duration of the pollution, the blocking pattern has caused the movement of the system to stop or slow down, and with the establishment of a strong ridge, the atmosphere of Iran and the region has been kept in a stable state. With its permanent establishment, the mentioned ridge has caused the stillness of the air. As a result of these conditions, pollution has yet to be discharged daily and accumulated. The average distribution and focus of pollutants with the help of satellite images shows that the highest amount of CO and NO2 is concentrated in the city of Tehran. In contrast, the highest amount of SO2 is concentrated in Qazvin province. It seems that the Shahid Rajaei power plant is responsible for a large share of SO2 pollution. The study of the atmospheric patterns of these 7 periods, when air pollution has been high, indicates the dominance of blocking patterns.   Extended Abstract 1-Introduction Regional recognition and analysis of air pollution is one of the important components in the action plan for environmental sustainability. A large part of Iran's population is concentrated in the southern slopes of Central Alborz, including the three big cities of Tehran, Karaj, and Qazvin. According to the latest population and housing census, these three cities have 15,917,116 people living in urban areas, which have experienced high levels of air pollution. The purpose of writing this article is to analyze the spatial distribution and reasons for the persistence of air pollution and the factors that cause it in the dense population-industrial area of the three metropolitan cities of Tehran, Karaj, and Qazvin by combining station, satellite, and atmospheric data between 2018 and 2023. In this regard, the continuous trend of daily air pollution and the accumulation of pollutants according to the type of pollutant and in connection with the atmospheric circulation and synoptic patterns leading to the dominant atmospheric conditions in the region have been studied.   2-Materials and Methods Air pollution data was collected from 32 pollution measurement stations of Tehran Air Quality Control Company and Environmental Organization between 2018 and 2023 and Air Quality Index (AQI) was used to identify polluted days. Air quality index data was analyzed in Excel software after receiving, and polluted days with high persistence were identified. Next, to identify the synoptic patterns effective in the persistence of air pollution, hourly geopotential height data were obtained from the database (ERA5) of the European Center for European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) for levels of 850 and 500 hPa and converted to daily averages in the GrADS software environment. To investigate the relationship between atmospheric circulation patterns and ground data, horizontal visibility and temperature data from 3 meteorological weather stations in the study area were also obtained. Next, to check the atmospheric conditions on the selected days, the Skew-T data of the synoptic Mehrabad weather station, from the Wyoming University atmospheric database, was used. To determine the way of distribution and investigation of the focus of pollutants, and to complete the ground data, the products of the Sentinel 5 satellite and its sensor, namely Tropomi, have been used. The spatial map of the average concentration of pollutants was classified in ArcMap software and produced for analysis.   3- Results and Discussion In the study period, a total of seven cases, infected days with a duration of 6 days and more with a daily average index of 150 and above were identified. Then, two dates from January 17 to January 29, 2023, and from December 8 to 19, 2022, when the air pollution was more persistent, were selected for analysis. The results of the synoptic pattern prevailing at the level of 850 and 500 geopotential meters in this 13-day interval, when the air pollution continues, show that a low center with a value of 5300 geopotential meters is closed over Central Europe. The tongues of this low altitude have spread to North Africa in Libya. In addition, a high-altitude center with a value of 5660 geopotential meters has been closed in the northeast of the Caspian Sea, which has remained in place for several days without moving. The mentioned high altitude acts as a barrier system and prevents western cyclones from entering Iran. The synoptic pattern of the 850 hPa level is also very similar to the 500 hPa level pattern. In addition to the sharp drop in temperature in the studied area, stable weather has dominated this area and the southern slopes of Alborz. This Blocking pattern with the stillness and stability of the air has caused polluting elements to accumulate in the stable atmosphere and increase their error. By referring to the Skew-T thermodynamic diagram, the inversion phenomenon can be observed between the levels of 900 and 800 hPa. The continuation of the Blocking pattern and the stability of the atmosphere caused the accumulation of suspended particles in the studied area. The sharp downward trend of the field of view is obvious in three stations. Sentinel 5 satellite images show that the pollutant behavior of CO and NO2 is similar to each other. The highest amount of SO2 is concentrated in Qazvin province. In this period, with the stable atmosphere and, the Shahid Rajaei power plant in Qazvin has accumulated a large amount of this pollutant. The Blocking pattern caused a similar incident on 8-19 December 2022.   4- Conclusion It seems that the source of air pollution in all three study areas is relatively constant, which means that the production and release of air pollution are constant and continuous every day. In some periods, due to the constant production and emission of pollution, the air quality index increases significantly and continues, which is the reason for the climate. A point that has been less mentioned in previous studies is related to the persistence and accumulation of air pollution, which is considered one of the main components of environmental sustainability. The results of the current research are in line with the research (Cai et al., 2020) on the impact of the structure of blocking in the troposphere on severe winter air pollution in North China. Examining the atmospheric patterns of 7 identified cases where the air pollution has continued showed that the blocking patterns have caused the stability of the air and as a result the continuation and accumulation of air pollution. The blocking of atmospheric systems causes the movement of meteorological patterns to stop, during which the patterns governing the atmosphere remain in place for days and even weeks. These blocking patterns with the stillness and stability of the air have caused the continuation of air pollution.    

Today, knowledge-based urban development (KBUD) is a model of development that seeks to achieve sustainability components through the strengthening of urban knowledge-based foundations to provide the grounds for continuous growth and development of the city by continuously injecting knowledge into productive activities. The purpose of this research is to identify and rank effective spatial and functional requirements to transform Tehran into a knowledge-based city. This research is based on a developmental-applicative goal in terms of nature and analytical-exploratory method. According to the purpose of the research, which is to identify the spatial and functional requirements of a Knowledge-based city, a combined documentary and field method was used to collect the necessary information, which is done in two main parts, descriptive and analytical. To compare and rank the identified spatial and functional requirements, the improved fuzzy hierarchical analysis model or fuzzy Buckley was used. The results of this research indicated that to transform the city of Tehran into a knowledge-based city, in the field of variable spatial requirements, the "multiplicity of knowledge-based companies" with a weight of 0.167 was the most important requirement for transforming the city of Tehran into a knowledge-based city after that, "development of knowledge-based industries" and "the existence of science and technology parks" are ranked in the next important positions with 0.148 and 0.133 ranks respectively, with a score of 0.163, the variable "absence of obstacles to the establishment of knowledge-based businesses" with a score of 0.144 and the variable "the presence of a field for attracting knowledge-based personnel" with a final score of 0.130 is in the first to third places of importance for transforming the city of Tehran into a knowledge-based city, respectively. In the end, some suggestions were made to achieve this goal. Extended Abstract1-IntroductionDuring the last decade in Iran, with the establishment of knowledge-based companies, science and technology parks, and the expansion of universities in the country, significant progress has been made in the direction of creating the necessary infrastructure for the development of knowledge-based cities, so that currently, in terms of the per capita use of higher education and distribution, the country of Iran Their space at the level of the cities and provinces of the country has a good situation at the global level, if in the context of issues related to sustainability and the role of the country's education system in the field of increasing and stabilizing urban incomes, such as the share in the field of gross domestic product, there should be a connection with the industry and foundation. It is not in a suitable position for the production and growth of creativity and innovation at the global level.Due to its political, economic, and administrative situation, the city of Tehran hosts more than 40% of the country's knowledge-based companies that operate in various fields such as biotechnology, information and communication technology, commercialization services, etc., most of them in scientific centers such as universities and Research institutes have a focus, which is always known as the key factors and drivers of knowledge-based cities. In addition to that, the city of Tehran has the best universities and research institutes in the country, both quantitatively and qualitatively, including Tehran University, Shahid Beheshti University, Sharif University, and various scientific think tanks. But the evidence shows that until today this important thing has not been done, and the most important reasons for that are the following:- Lack of effective interaction between Tehran universities in the field of knowledge and services- Lack of continuous and efficient communication between universities and industries in Tehran;- Lack of a specific and efficient institution to identify efficient university graduates and employ them in the industry;- Inadequate work of upstream institutions such as governorate, city council, municipality, etc. in the field of communication with universities and research institutions. 2-Materials and MethodsThis research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of nature and method. According to the purpose of the research, which is to identify the spatial and functional requirements of the knowledge-based city of Tehran, a combined documentary and field method was used to collect the necessary information, which was carried out in two major parts, descriptive and analytical. In the descriptive part based on library and document studies; The information and data required for the research are collected from scientific sources and existing research centers, relevant institutions in various ministries, organizations, and departments (management and planning organization, scientific and technological vice president, etc.). In the analytical part, by using the collected quantitative data, as well as the questionnaire made by the researcher and expert evaluation from the specialists and academic experts and relevant organizations, whose identification was done in a non-random way and through the snowball method, the necessary information was collected and finally based on the fuzzy model. The final indicators were optimized, weighted, and ranked. 3- Results and DiscussionIn this research, to evaluate the functional-spatial requirements of transforming Tehran into a knowledge-based city, by examining theoretical sources, consulting with experts, and previous research, the most important spatial and functional requirements were collected in two separate sections. These indicators are classified separately in the form of two different categories of spatial requirements (22 indicators) and functional requirements (27 indicators) and separate matrices are designed for comparing two by two and finally ranking the variables of each and it was given to the elites participating in the research process.Spatial requirements of the knowledge-based city:The findings of the spatial requirements section showed that among the 22 spatial requirements examined to transform Tehran into a knowledge-based city, the variable "number of knowledge-based companies" with a weight of 0.167 is the most important requirement for transforming Tehran into an It is a knowledge-based city. After that, "Development of knowledge-based industries" and "Existence of Science and Technology Parks" are in the next important positions with 0.148 and 0.133 ranks, respectively.Functional requirements of the knowledge-based city:The findings of this section have shown, among the functional requirements of transforming Tehran into a knowledge-based city, the variable "existence of a sense of risk-taking in knowledge-based businesses" with a score of 0.163, the variable "absence of obstacles to establishing knowledge-based businesses" with a score of 0.144 and The variable "the existence of a field for attracting knowledge-based forces" with a final score of 0.130 is in the first to third places of importance for transforming Tehran into a knowledge-based city.  4- ConclusionThe results of this research in the area of spatial requirements necessary to transform Tehran into a knowledge-based city showed that among the 20 items examined in this section; The items that work directly in the field of innovative and creative activities and productions are placed at the highest level of priority. In other words, the "multiplicity of knowledge-based companies", "development of knowledge-based industries" and "the existence of science and technology parks" are the most important requirements for transforming Tehran into a knowledge-based city in terms of spatial requirements. The results of the research in the field of functional requirements also showed that among more than 25 items that were compared in pairs, the items that were in the first to third priorities were all influenced by the will of the city management to realize such cities were located. In other words, "the existence of a sense of risk-taking in knowledge-based jobs", "the absence of barriers to the establishment of knowledge-based jobs" and "the existence of a field to attract knowledge workers" depends on the political will of the city administration, and if there is no support from the relevant authorities and solving the previous challenges It is not possible to transform Tehran into a knowledge-based city.   

Considering the spread of desertification and the emergence of its extensive and long-term effects on the environment and human activities, appropriate management methods can reduce the intensity and spread of this phenomenon. Therefore, executive actions in this field should be based on knowledge of the current state of land desertification and its future development. Therefore, this research was conducted to evaluate the risk of desertification using VPM and WASPAS scoring models and a geographic information system as a case study in the Yazd-Khizrabad Plain from 2021 to 2022. In the framework of these models, effective indicators are identified based on field and library studies. The working units were then determined by the geomorphology method and the importance of the indicators in each unit was obtained in the form of pairwise comparisons based on the Delphi method. Next, the importance of the indices was estimated using the Shannon entropy method, and a decision matrix was formed. After balancing, zoning of the desertification intensity potential was performed by calculating the desirability coefficient using the VPM and WASPAS scoring methods in the ArcGIS software environment. results obtained showed that the land units of the Mountain Agriculture Ground (MAG) and Plain Agriculture Ground (PAG) have the highest desertification potential, which covers 7335.86 ha (35.9%) of the entire study area. Most of the land in the region is under the influence of desertification with a relatively moderate intensity (III). The quantitative value of the desertification potential for the whole region based on all the indicators was placed in the middle class (IV). The results of this study indicate the efficiency and ease of application of the VPM and WASPAS point approach techniques in evaluating the intensity of desertification.   Extended Abstract 1-Introduction Considering the spread of desertification and the emergence of its extensive and long-term effects on the environment and human activities, appropriate management methods can reduce the intensity and spread of this phenomenon. Therefore, executive actions in this field should be based on knowledge of the current state of land desertification and its future development. Despite the development of quantitative techniques in recent years, considering the practical importance of desertification risk-zoning maps, there has been, an attempt to provide methods with less error and higher reliability. Therefore, this research was conducted to evaluate the risk of desertification using VPM and WASPAS scoring models and a geographic information system as a case study in the Yazd-Khizrabad Plain from 2021 to 2022.   2-Materials and Methods In the framework of these models, effective indicators are identified based on field and library studies. The working units were then determined by the geomorphology method and the importance of the indicators in each unit was obtained in the form of pairwise comparisons based on the Delphi method. Next, the importance of the indices was estimated using the Shannon entropy method, and a decision matrix was formed. After balancing, zoning of the desertification intensity potential was performed by calculating the desirability coefficient using the VPM and WASPAS scoring methods in the ArcGIS software environment. In the WPM scoring method, the value of work units for indicators reached the root of index weight by Eq. 1. Then, the power utility values ​​were estimated from the row multiplication of the components of the weighted-root matrix (Eq. 2).                                                                                                                                        (1)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  (2)                                                                                                                         In the WASPAS scoring method, to estimate the desirability of the components of the decision matrix, the weight of the indicators was multiplied and the weighted matrix was obtained.                                                                                                                             (3)                                                                                                                          Then, the values ​​of multiplicative utility were estimated from the row sum of the components of the multiplicative weighted matrix using Eq. 4.                                                                                                                              (4)                                                                                                                         The components of the root-weighted matrix ( were obtained by rooting the weight of the indicators of the components of the decision matrix (Eq. 5).                                                                                                                                      (5)                                                                                                                              After estimating the root-weighted matrix, the root utility values were estimated from the row multiplication of the components of the root-weighted matrix using Eq. 6.                                                                                                                              (6)                                                                                                                   Finally, the final desirability of options (U_i), or in other words, the desertification potential of work units was obtained from the average values of multiplicative desirability and root (Eq. 7).                                                                                                                         (7)                                                                                                                 Finally, to facilitate and accurately analyze the data and achieve the results, based on the degree of desirability obtained from both models and using Arc GIS9.3 software, the erosion potential was mapped.   3- Results and Discussion The correlation coefficient of the results obtained from the analyses of both models was significant at the 99% level. At the same time, the comparative study showed that the land units of the Mountain Agriculture Ground (MAG) and Plain Agriculture Ground (PAG) have the highest desertification potential, which covers 7335.86 ha (35.9%) of the entire study area. Most of the land in the region is under the influence of desertification with a relatively moderate intensity (III), which includes Sandy Dune with Plant Cover (SDPC) (SDPC), industrial lands (IA), Eppandage Plain with Plant Cover (EPPC), and Bare Plains with Plant Cover (BPPC). Also, in the study area, there is no severe (VI) and relatively severe (V) desertification class. The quantitative value of the desertification potential for the whole region based on all the indicators was placed in the middle class (IV). According to the analysis and the results obtained, it can be concluded that the scoring approach in evaluating the intensity of desertification and preparing a zoning map is a fast and relatively accurate method in evaluating the intensity of desertification. The most important features of this approach are considering quantitative and native indicators, its simplicity and step-by-step, the geomorphology method in determining zoning units, the method of weighting indicators with group polling in the framework of the table, the same scoring, the method of weighting the indicators to each other from the Shannon entropy method and using the geographic information system. This approach can be used in future evaluations of desertification and, if necessary, it has the necessary flexibility by selecting local indicators.   4- Conclusion The results of this study indicate the efficiency and ease of application of the VPM and WASPAS point approach techniques in evaluating the intensity of desertification. It is suggested that in the plans to control and reduce land erosion and destruction, by paying attention to the analyses made, this chaotic situation will be quickly improved, and a stable structure will be established in the process of dealing with erosion. As a result, while preventing the wastage of limited funds, the success rate of implementing erosion management plans will increase.