The Euphrates River, which passes through the center of the city of Al-Samawah, is considered one of the important water resources in the areas through which it passes, which has made the governorate’s lands agricultural. It is one of the reasons for the expansion of the city and the continuation of life there for humans and animals. Therefore, the subject of studying the green areas in the city of Al-Samawah is related to the availability of water [1, 2].

Therefore, humans have taken the nearby areas on both sides of the Euphrates River as a home for residence to provide plant and animal food. Desertification and drought also push people to migrate and leave their areas of residence in search of a better life, as the availability of water makes people positively respond to nature and gives them incentives to work, give, and rebuild cities [3, 4].

The importance of analyzing the green spaces of Al-Samawah city, which are close to desert regions on one side and marshes on the other. Because many migratory birds use green spaces as resting and transit locations, they are extremely important for preserving ecological balance and increasing biodiversity. Additionally, they contribute to the creation of a suitable environment that is conducive to moderating the city's climate and purifying the air, especially from west dust storms [5].

As a result, analyzing green spaces is considered essential to identify their types and locations as well as to work on their continuity due to their direct influence on cities, sustainability, and reducing the negative effects of urbanization and climate change [6, 7].

In this article, the agricultural regions on both banks of the Euphrates River and close to the city center were the main focus of this study in order to examine, analyze and create solutions. Required to help protect these areas from indiscriminate housing and the growth of cities [8, 9].

The estimated areas for the green area analysis are 364.48 dunums on the left bank of the river and 328.51 dunums on the right bank. In order to compare situations and examine the good or negative development of agricultural areas based on satellite image information, the article's time frame was set for 2004 - 2022.

The analysis location was situated inside the Al-Muthanna Governorate's administrative boundaries in southern Iraq as this implies, it is located to the east of the governorates of Thi-Qar and Al-Basrah. It is regarded as one of Iraq's most important wetlands, as it provides natural habitats for many animal and plant species [10, 11]. To the north Al-Qadsiyah Governorate, as well as Al-Najaf Governorate and Saudi Arabia to the west and south, where the desert areas represent a part of the Sahara Desert [12]. This particular location was surrounded by a number of desert regions that are a part of desert, which is an extension of Iraq's western desert. The most prominent deserts in the area are [13, 14]:

-The Al-Samawah Desert is a region in southern Iraq that is regarded as a component of the Great Desert.

-The Al-Muthanna Desert is a significant part of the Al-Muthanna Governorate.

-West of Al-Samawah is the Al-Salman Desert, which is home to significant historical and archaeological landmarks.

Although Al-Samawah is not directly within the marsh’s areas, which are famous for their unique ecosystem and historical importance, but it is relatively closely to. This makes it a significant city for maintaining historical and natural diversity [15].

In this study, the area which is enclosed by two latitude lines (3465000N – 3467000N) and two longitude lines (528000E – 524000E) was analyzed [16], as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The article's objectives are to integrate GIS and RS to identify green spaces and compare them over the years to show the extent of changes and positive and negative impacts on these green spaces. The financial effect of this problem on human life in the city of Al-Samawah in particular, as well as the environmental impact on city safety generally.

At the beginning, by ERDAS program cut visuals by using for different periods (2004, 2014, 2022) with the same coordinates, using (PATH=167, RAW=38) and then georeferencing process was performed. For the satellite images, ArcMap program was used, then lateral and spatial improvements were made to these images. Then we began to calculate the meaning of the change in vegetation cover (NDVI) using the ERDAS program as in Eq. (1), shown in Figure 3(a-c) as the NDVI value is calculated through the following equation (which is the value range between -1.0 to +1.0):

As the large values represent a high density of green plants, provided that the reflectivity and absorption of rays are taken into consideration. Small, is negative values represent areas in which there is no vegetation cover and are barren lands.

Through the colour gradient, where the green colour represents the vegetation cover, the value is represented by the positive, while the light orange gradient represents areas devoid of plants [10], or it represents other uses, and the value is negative.

The study area is restricted to the agricultural districts that are situated within the center of Al-Samawah District on both banks of the Euphrates River. That represents the agricultural areas in the city center [17-21]. These areas vary greatly in terms of total and green areas. This discrepancy is a natural matter, and its causes are primarily human. These human elements are driven by a variety of causes, the most notable of which is the passion for agricultural ownership.

The financial capacity of individuals, general culture, economic orientation, the number of family members owning the land, the level of commercial market prices, and the volume of consumption of agricultural materials, etc. While natural elements are frequently marginal, there are additional variables that either encourage or inhibit the growth of green spaces. They either support and interact with the plant that creates the green area or they completely prevent it.

Green spaces include all types of plants and trees, regardless of their type, class, and purpose of cultivation. The agricultural plant activity is the active human element in creating the agricultural environment with its green space, regardless of the type of plant and its class in that activity. Table 1 shows the agricultural provinces included in the study, in number and area in comparison, with the number of green spaces and uncultivated areas and the amount of residential expansion on green spaces over periods for the years (2004, 2014, and 2022). Table 1 is the basis for the research to determine the level of positive or negative development of these areas.

In Figure 4, the red area represents 2004, the green area represents 2014, and the yellow area represents 2022.

1- The green area amounted to 50.2% of total area of agricultural districts in 2004.

2- The districts (21, 27, 28, 29, 40) stand out with the highest green area, exceeding 90%. Meanwhile, the districts (1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 33, 42, 44, 45) had the lowest green spaces, making them the least affluent in terms of greenery during the year 2004.

3- The percentage of green spaces that were lost in 2014 due to urban growth exploitation at the expense of green spaces increased from 38% to 62% for other uses, resulting in a 12.2% decline in green spaces and a 24% shortfall.

When comparing the districts in 2014 to those in 2004, the percentages of green spaces declined. In general, the largest damage occurred in the examined area close to the urban development of the city.

4- In 2022, the analysis of the green area revealed that the proportion going to other uses increased from 36.7% to 63.3%, resulting in a loss of overall green space.

5- While the districts (13, 15, 37, 38, and 45) became around zero acres in area, the areas had an increase in (6, 7, and 12) districts.

In contrast, the areas of districts 13, 15, 37, 38, and 45 shrank to about zero acres. But there were more distractions in regions 6, 7, and 12 have increase.

Figure 5 explains the green area by green colour and the remaining area of distracts in blue colour.

Table 1 shows the extent of variation in areas between agricultural districts as in number of Figure 3(a-c). Ratio refers to the green area from total distract. as in chart in Figure 4.

In Table 2, the green area was estimated to be 692.99 acres in 2004, but reached 527.2 acres in 2014, and is expected to reach 505.35 acres by 2022. In other words, the average annual decline in green area was 12.02% from 2004 to 2014. By 2022, the average annual decline in green area will be 13.32%.

The total green area in the city center decreased from 2004 to 2014 as well as in 2022. As a result, analysis of Tables 1 and 2 and Figures 4 and 5 shows that:

1- While the study years, the districts' overall area stayed constant, but the green spaces continually decreased, as the other places kept on expanding.

2- In comparison to the base year of 2004, the amount of green space lost in 2014 was 165.72 acres, and in 2022, it was 187.64 acres. Future reductions in this detrimental environmental degradation are not assured. The green space's degradation provided benefits to other land uses.

3- Compared to the previous year, the percentage of green areas fell from 50.02% in 2004 to 38% in 2014, then continued to deteriorate until it reached 36.7% in 2022. That was regarded as damage to environmental and to achieve sustainability.

4- This means the annual rate of green cover deterioration during the period from 2004 to 2012 amounted to 12.2%, and indicates that from 2004 and 2022, the yearly rate of decrease was 13.8%.

The following briefly describes the main results of the current study:

1-The reasons for decline of green space, particularly in rural regions and near urban areas, include the increase of informal areas, a shift from agricultural to residential or other uses, and the spread of urban growth.

This explains the lack of a major factor in rural regions, notably the shifting usage of agricultural lands, particularly food-producing areas, which began after 2002 that became noticeable after 2004.

2- The decline of green cover and the spread of barren spaces result in significant environmental risks that have negative repercussions on health and the economy in general, and the joints of human life and activity are not spared. Rather, this affects the future of the coming generations who have the legitimate right to a decent life, supported to achieve sustainability. The year 2022 is a statistical measure whose indicator exceeds the red line, warning and danger to decision-makers, and represents a distress call and an environmental call to avoid the situation before it is too late.

Based on what was stated in the research, the following recommendations can be obtained:

1- Preventing residential encroachment on agricultural fields, raising cultural consciousness, and reducing illiteracy in agricultural regions.

2- Increasing public awareness of the environmental, society and economic benefits of green areas through authorized media channels.

3- Promoting the slogan "Wherever you find a green environment, life will be good for you, and wherever you find trees, the environment will be safe from destruction" and educating people on the value of green space.

4- Activate Al-Muthanna Agriculture Directorate to promote agricultural development and environmental preservation.

5- Combating unfair campaigns by removing plants and trees specially on river banks and around the countryside, which plays a crucial role in soil stabilization and reducing dust storms.

6- Implementing detailed plans for reclamation and agriculture in desert areas and city borders, as well as water and green space management.

Introducing the topics of desertification and sustainability into the curricula of scho0ols, institutes, and universities to teach students about its actuality and risks, and determine the degree of causes, consequences, and treatment approaches.