Do changes in land use and climate change overlap? An analysis of the World Bank Data

AbstractLand use change (LUC), including deforestation, agriculture, and urbanization, is a major contributor to climate change (CC). This change in land use has impacts on food, water, and energy systems, creating a complex interconnected web of issues. This study aimed to investigate the global link between LUC and CC from 1990 to 2012. Using time‐series data from the World Bank, LUC was represented by irrigated land, arable lands, and forest areas, while CC was represented by CO2 emissions. Moreover, the relationship between economic growth in high‐income and low‐income countries and LUC and CC was examined in this study. Based on the findings of this study, in low‐income countries, the intensity of LUC is higher in comparison with high‐income countries. Meanwhile, CO2 emissions are increasing in middle‐income and high‐income countries. Economic growth is closely related to CO2 emissions in countries with different levels of income. The study indicated that managing land use is of high importance to mitigate CO2 emissions globally. According to the findings, recent LUC has shown more obvious effects on ecological variables than CC. Although LUC is not inherently directly related to CC, humans change land use, especially in terms of land management, to adapt to CC, and these changes will inevitably bring many environmental impacts. This study contributes significantly to advancing the understanding of the complex relationship between CC and LUC, emphasizing the need for integrated approaches in policy development. These measures are crucial to achieving resilience and meeting global CC reduction targets.