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Hug Analytics

Satellite-powered insights into urban forestry and green cover change

Real-time NDVI insights and building towards AI-powered green analytics

What is Hug Analytics?

Hug Analytics at I Hug Trees is in a nascent stage and is being nurtured with accuracy, transparency, and a commitment to the true source of data and analytics.

Hug Analytics makes geospatial satellite imagery and environmental analytics accessible to everyone. Using Sentinel-2 data, we calculate NDVI greenness and NDBI urbanization indices to track vegetation cover, canopy density, and shifts in city landscapes. These insights reveal where neighborhoods are cooling, where biodiversity is thinning, and where the green balance is shifting.

Beyond urban greenery, our analytics extend to wider environmental issues such as CO₂ emissions, and biodiversity loss areas where satellite and open datasets provide timely, science-driven visibility.

Key Features

  • Real-time NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) monitoring
  • Historical trend analysis and visualization

Our Methods Note

All datasets are processed on cloud infrastructure (AWS) and fetched via the Microsoft Planetary Computer for Sentinel-2 access. While grounded in scientific principles, outputs are presented in accessible formats so that technical imagery and calculations resonate with ordinary people and communities.

Because only when it is relatable, can it tell clear stories about our greenery and urban life: shaping how we live, how we breathe, and how we cope with rising heat.

Satellite Systems

  • Sentinel-2: 10 m resolution for optical and vegetation analysis (NDVI, NDWI) and 20 m for urban indices such as NDBI.
  • Landsat 8 / 9: 30 m resolution multispectral imagery ideal for long-term environmental trend analysis.
  • MODIS: Daily global imagery at moderate resolution for large-scale environmental and climate monitoring.

Data Update Frequency

Our datasets are updated every 5-10 days, depending on satellite revisit times and cloud coverage conditions.

Getting Started

Whether you're a researcher, student or environmental professional, Hug Analytics provides the tools you need to understand green cover dynamics in your area of interest.

Step 1: Select tab

Choose your area of interest from our global regions

Step 2: Analyze Data

Explore NDVI and NDBI trends, seasonal patterns, and change detection

Step 3: Generate Insights

Create reports, download data and images for free

Urban forestry and green cover analytics using Sentinel-2 satellite data and derived indices

Fresh insights on urban canopy and greenness are published regularly: monthly, half-yearly, and for selected special reports using Sentinel-2 NDVI and NDBI analysis. These updates track how cities and regions around the world are changing in terms of vegetation, tree cover, and ecological balance. Each post highlights satellite-derived greenness indicators with clear, easy-to-read visuals and ongoing comparisons over time, making complex data simple and relatable for everyone.

Metrics Dashboard

Sydney urban landscape

Most Liveable Cities in The World – A Urban Forestry Perspective Quarterly

Tracking green cover, vegetation health, and urban resilience across the world’s most liveable cities. This dashboard brings together a comparative analysis of the 10 most liveable cities, using Mean NDVI to reflect vegetation health alongside urban built-up intensity. It also highlights blue-green infrastructure coverage, showing how water bodies, trees, and open spaces quietly shape everyday urban life.

First Published: 15th Dec, 2025 Quarterly – Ongoing
View Archive Page - for older posts

🌏 Australia & Oceania

Sydney urban landscape

Urban Green Cover and Built-up Analysis – Sydney Region, Australia Quarterly

Sentinel-2 NDVI and NDBI analysis showing greenness distribution, urban green cover trends and built up analysis for Sydney city and suburbs.

First Published: Oct 20th, 2025 Quarterly – Ongoing
View Archive Page - for older posts
Auckland urban landscape showing green cover and heat island analysis

Urban Green Cover & Heat Risk Assessment – Auckland Region, Newzealand Quarterly

Sentinel-2 satellite analysis of urban forestry, vegetation health (NDVI), built-up intensity (NDBI), and urban heat island risk for Auckland city and suburbs. Includes interactive maps, downloadable GeoTIFFs, and evidence-based green infrastructure recommendations.

First Published: 7th Dec, 2025 Quarterly – Ongoing
View Archive Page - for older posts
Adelaide urban landscape showing green cover and heat island analysis

Urban Green Cover & Heat Risk Assessment – Adelaide Region, Australia Quarterly

Sentinel-2 satellite analysis of urban forestry, vegetation health (NDVI), built-up intensity (NDBI), and urban heat island risk for Adelaide city and suburbs. Includes interactive maps, downloadable GeoTIFFs, and evidence-based green infrastructure recommendations.

First Published: 4th Dec, 2025 Quarterly – Ongoing
View Archive Page - for older posts
Melbourne urban landscape

Urban Green Cover and Built-up Analysis – Melbourne Region, Australia Quarterly

Sentinel-2 NDVI and NDBI analysis showing greenness distribution, urban green cover trends and built up analysis for Melbourne city and suburbs.

First Published: Sept 30th, 2025 Half Yearly – Ongoing
View Archive Page - for older posts

🌏 Asia

Osaka urban landscape showing green cover and heat island analysis

Urban Green Cover & Heat Risk Assessment – Osaka Region, Japan Quarterly

Sentinel-2 satellite analysis of urban forestry, vegetation health (NDVI), built-up intensity (NDBI), and urban heat island risk for Osaka city and suburbs. Includes interactive maps, downloadable GeoTIFFs, and evidence-based green infrastructure recommendations.

First Published: 7th Dec, 2025 Quarterly – Ongoing
View Archive Page - for older posts
Singapore urban landscape

Urban Green Cover and Heat Risk Assessment – Singapore Region Quarterly

Sentinel-2 NDVI and NDBI analysis showing greenness distribution and urban green cover trends for Singapore city and suburbs.

First Published: Nov 9th, 2025 Quarterly – Ongoing
View Archive Page - for older posts
Chennai urban landscape

Urban Green Cover and Built-up Analysis – Chennai Region Quarterly

Sentinel-2 NDVI and NDBI analysis showing greenness distribution and urban green cover trends for Chennai city and suburbs.

First Published: Aug 22, 2025 Quarterly – Ongoing
View Archive Page - for older posts

🌏 Europe

Zurich urban landscape showing green cover and heat island analysis

Urban Green Cover & Heat Risk Assessment – Zurich Region, Switzerland Quarterly

Sentinel-2 satellite analysis of urban forestry, vegetation health (NDVI), built-up intensity (NDBI), and urban heat island risk for Zurich city and suburbs. Includes interactive maps, downloadable GeoTIFFs, and evidence-based green infrastructure recommendations.

First Published: Dec 4th, 2025 Quarterly – Ongoing
View Archive Page - for older posts
Vienna urban landscape showing green cover and heat island analysis

Urban Green Cover & Heat Risk Assessment – Vienna Region, Switzerland Quarterly

Sentinel-2 satellite analysis of urban forestry, vegetation health (NDVI), built-up intensity (NDBI), and urban heat island risk for Vienna city and suburbs. Includes interactive maps, downloadable GeoTIFFs, and evidence-based green infrastructure recommendations.

First Published: Dec 7th, 2025 Quarterly – Ongoing
View Archive Page - for older posts
Copenhagen urban landscape showing green cover and heat island analysis

Urban Green Cover & Heat Risk Assessment – Copenhagen Region, Denmark Quarterly

Sentinel-2 satellite analysis of urban forestry, vegetation health (NDVI), built-up intensity (NDBI), and urban heat island risk for Copenhagen city and suburbs. Includes interactive maps, downloadable GeoTIFFs, and evidence-based green infrastructure recommendations.

First Published: Dec 7th, 2025 Quarterly – Ongoing
View Archive Page - for older posts
Geneva urban landscape showing green cover and heat island analysis

Urban Green Cover & Heat Risk Assessment – Geneva Region, Switzerland Quarterly

Sentinel-2 satellite analysis of urban forestry, vegetation health (NDVI), built-up intensity (NDBI), and urban heat island risk for Geneva city and suburbs. Includes interactive maps, downloadable GeoTIFFs, and evidence-based green infrastructure recommendations.

First Published: Dec 7th, 2025 Quarterly – Ongoing
View Archive Page - for older posts

🌏 America

Vancouver urban landscape showing green cover and heat island analysis

Urban Green Cover & Heat Risk Assessment – Vancouver Region, Canada Quarterly

Sentinel-2 satellite analysis of urban forestry, vegetation health (NDVI), built-up intensity (NDBI), and urban heat island risk for Vancouver city and suburbs. Includes interactive maps, downloadable GeoTIFFs, and evidence-based green infrastructure recommendations.

First Published: 13th Dec, 2025 Quarterly – Ongoing
View Archive Page - for older posts

Water Resources, River Basin & water quality Analytics using Sentinel-2 satellite data and derived indices

This section brings together key data driven insights on water resources and river-basin health using Sentinel-2 indices such as NDVI, NDWI, and MNDWI. The analysis highlights current water and vegetation status across basins, identifies water characteristics through the MNDWI–NDWI difference (indicating turbidity and sediment levels), and maps potential inundation zones for flood risk assessment. It also provides clear recommendations on riparian restoration, flood mitigation actions, and steps to improve overall water quality across river systems.

A wide aerial view of the Murray River winding through its basin, with pockets of lush riparian vegetation standing out against the drier surrounding landscape.

Water resources, River basin and Water quality assessment: Darlington-Coleambally-Bandure-region, Australia Part 1 Quarterly

This part 1 regional analysis focuses on the Murray River basin around Darlington Point and Coleambally region examining water quality, riparian vegetation health, and flood dynamics using Sentinel-2 satellite data. By combining NDVI, NDWI, and MNDWI indices, the report highlights surface water conditions, vegetation stress along riverbanks, sediment and turbidity patterns, and potential inundation zones, offering practical insights for basin management, riparian restoration, and flood mitigation planning.

First Published: Dec 13th, 2025 Quarterly - Ongoing
A quiet bend along the Murray River where a ribbon of green riparian vegetation hugs the water’s edge. You can see how the trees and shrubs create a natural buffer, holding the banks together and keeping the river healthier by filtering runoff

Water resources, River basin and Water quality assessment: Darlington-Coleambally-Bandure-region, Australia Part 2 Quarterly

This Part 2 regional analysis looks at the Murray River basin around the Coleambally and Bundure region in Australia. Using Sentinel-2 satellite data, it examines water quality, the health of vegetation along riverbanks, and flood-related changes. The analysis uses NDVI, NDWI, and MNDWI to show surface water conditions, vegetation stress near the river, and signs of sediment and turbidity in the water.

First Published: Dec 13th, 2025 Quarterly - Ongoing

Global CO₂ & Biodiversity Analytics (Open Datasets)

Explore comprehensive analyses of global CO₂ emissions, biodiversity trends, and land use patterns using open datasets. These reports provide data-driven insights into climate change impacts, species conservation challenges, and ecological transformations happening across our planet.

CO2 emissions visualization

Global CO₂ Emissions: Trends, Impacts, and Data-Driven Insights

Global CO₂ emissions

Jan 15, 2025 Jan 18, 2025
Biodiversity and land use mapping

Mapping Our Planet: Biodiversity and Land Use

Mapping our planet's biodiversity and land use

Mar 07, 2025 Mar 07, 2025
Threatened species analysis

Where Biodiversity Is Vanishing: Top 25 Countries With the Most Threatened Species

Explore global biodiversity loss with interactive maps of the 25 countries that host the most threatened species.

April 20, 2025 April 20, 2025