A Comprehensive Review on Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) Change Modeling for Urban Development: Current Status and Future Prospects

Land use land cover (LULC) modeling is considered as the best tool to comprehend and unravel the dynamics of future urban expansion. The present paper provides a comprehensive review of existing LULC modeling techniques and novel approaches used by the research community. Moreover, the review also compares each technique’s applications, utility, drawbacks, and broader differences. The rationale behind such a comparison is to highlight the strengths/weakness of individual techniques. The review further highlights the utility of the hybridization of different techniques (e.g., machine learning model combined with statistical models) to LULC modeling to complement their strengths. Although significant progress has been made in LULC modeling, the review highlights the need to incorporate the policy framework into LULC modeling for better urban planning and management. The present review will help researchers and policymakers to achieve better land management practices and ultimately assist in achieving Sustainable Development Goal-15 (SDG-15) (i.e., life on land).