Modeling the Impact of Socio-Economic and Environmental Factors on Air Quality in the City of Kabul

Sharifi, Mohammad Shahab; Aslami, Alyas; Zaheb, Hameedullah; Abed, Imran; Shokoori, Abdul Wahab; Yona, Atsushi

doi:10.3390/su162410969

Open AccessArticle

Modeling the Impact of Socio-Economic and Environmental Factors on Air Quality in the City of Kabul

by

Mohammad Shahab Sharifi

^1,*

,

Alyas Aslami

¹

,

Hameedullah Zaheb

^1,2,*

,

Imran Abed

¹,

Abdul Wahab Shokoori

¹

and

Atsushi Yona

²

¹

Department of Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kabul University, Kabul 1006, Afghanistan

²

Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Sustainability 2024, 16(24), 10969; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162410969

Submission received: 12 November 2024 / Revised: 9 December 2024 / Accepted: 11 December 2024 / Published: 13 December 2024

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis for Monitoring and Assessing Landscape and Ecosystem Sustainability)

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Abstract

Air pollution is a vital concern for developing countries, and the growing concentration of air pollutants in Kabul—the most polluted city in Afghanistan—has raised concerns about the health of its citizens. This study examines Kabul’s ambient air quality from a socio-economic and environmental perspective, primarily focusing on some crucial parameters, such as the Air Quality Index (AQI), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), particulate matter (PM2.5), and carbon monoxide (CO). Using multiple regression analysis modeling in R and data from satellite imagery, air quality monitoring stations, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this study demonstrates a strong relationship between air quality and urban green spaces, population growth, vehicle count, temperature, and electricity availability. Key results indicate that increasing urban green areas improves air quality, but that population growth and heat make air pollution worse. This study suggests that airborne pollutants could be reduced through efficient emissions management, green energy sources, and urban planning. These observations provide policymakers and urban planners with practical recommendations to enhance Kabul’s air quality and general public health.

Keywords: AQI (air quality index); socio-economic factors; environmental factors; multiple regression analysis; urban green spaces (UGS); R program; GIS

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MDPI and ACS Style

Sharifi, M.S.; Aslami, A.; Zaheb, H.; Abed, I.; Shokoori, A.W.; Yona, A. Modeling the Impact of Socio-Economic and Environmental Factors on Air Quality in the City of Kabul. Sustainability 2024, 16, 10969. https://doi.org/10.3390/su162410969

AMA Style

Sharifi MS, Aslami A, Zaheb H, Abed I, Shokoori AW, Yona A. Modeling the Impact of Socio-Economic and Environmental Factors on Air Quality in the City of Kabul. Sustainability. 2024; 16(24):10969. https://doi.org/10.3390/su162410969

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sharifi, Mohammad Shahab, Alyas Aslami, Hameedullah Zaheb, Imran Abed, Abdul Wahab Shokoori, and Atsushi Yona. 2024. "Modeling the Impact of Socio-Economic and Environmental Factors on Air Quality in the City of Kabul" Sustainability 16, no. 24: 10969. https://doi.org/10.3390/su162410969

APA Style

Sharifi, M. S., Aslami, A., Zaheb, H., Abed, I., Shokoori, A. W., & Yona, A. (2024). Modeling the Impact of Socio-Economic and Environmental Factors on Air Quality in the City of Kabul. Sustainability, 16(24), 10969. https://doi.org/10.3390/su162410969

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Modeling the Impact of Socio-Economic and Environmental Factors on Air Quality in the City of Kabul

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