Abstract
Libya is predominantly an arid to semi-arid country, leading to a scarcity of arable land similar to other Arab nations. This chapter focuses on identifying degraded lands in northwest Libya, from Al-Khums in the east to Surman in the west, an area significantly affected by desertification. The study aimed to examine long-term changes in plant cover in this region and the factors contributing to these changes. We used the Google Earth Engine (GEE) to analyze the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), and Land Surface Temperature (LST). Additionally, we included precipitation data and the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) as indicators of land degradation. The study utilized Landsat 5 satellite data from 1990, Sentinel 2 data from 2021, MODIS data spanning 1990–2021, and TerraClimate satellite data for climate and drought information through the GEE platform. The findings revealed a decline in vegetation cover and a significant reduction in agricultural areas, accompanied by increased urban growth, which poses a threat to the local environment and exacerbates desert encroachment toward the north.