Journal of Natural Environment

Application of metaverse and artificial intelligence in monitoring and participatory education of the natural environment with a new perspective on security and smart urban governance in Karaj

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Urban Design, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tarbiat Dabir Shahid Rajaei, University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Minab Higher Education Complex, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran.

10.22059/jne.2025.403153.2844

Abstract

The rapid growth of environmental challenges in large cities such as Karaj, along with the inefficiency of traditional monitoring and education methods, underscores the necessity of adopting innovative technologies. This study aimed to examine the potential of the Metaverse and artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing collaborative monitoring and environmental education and their impact on sustainable security and smart urban governance in Karaj. Applied in nature and quantitative–analytical in approach, the research employed partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the relationships among variables. The statistical population consisted of experts in environmental science, smart urban planning, and digital technologies, selected through purposive sampling and a snowball technique, resulting in 250 valid questionnaires. Measurement model results confirmed acceptable composite reliability and convergent validity, with all factor loadings exceeding 0.60. In the structural model, AI exerted the strongest effect on environmental monitoring (path coefficient= 0.57), while the Metaverse showed the greatest influence on participatory education (path coefficient= 0.42). Smart urban governance (R²= 0.62) and sustainable urban security (R²= 0.59) demonstrated the highest explanatory power. Indirect effects revealed the mediating roles of participatory education and environmental monitoring in strengthening the links between the Metaverse, AI, and dependent variables. The novelty of this study lies in the simultaneous use of interactive Metaverse data and AI-driven analytics to design an integrated framework for environmental governance and urban security. Findings highlight that combining these technologies can foster citizen engagement, improve decision-making quality, and reduce environmental vulnerability in future cities.

Keywords

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Journal of Natural Environment
Volume 78, Issue 3
November 2025
Pages 395-411