Improving land use thanks to geodata

Context

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is a partnership of more than 120 governments that aims to establish a global earth observation system. Its Land Degradation Neutrality Initiative (GEO-LDN) supports countries in stopping soil loss by 2030. It was created in order to implement resolutions of the international ‘United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification’ (UNCCD).

However, the initiative has so far hardly carried out any broad-based coordination, networking and public relations work. It also does not sufficiently support the UNCCD parties in using geodata to achieve land degradation neutrality.

Objective

The UNCCD parties use better and more easily accessible geodata for planning and decision-making processes so that productive land areas are not further reduced.

Approach

By simplifying access to earth observation information, the UNCCD signatory states are to configure their land use strategies more sustainably. Using the LDN Toolbox, they can effectively track progress in soil protection and restoration and make evidence-based decisions on future land use.

The project operates in three areas to achieve this:

• It is building a collaborative system for the LDN Toolbox to integrate and analyse geodata.
• It is improving the digital skills of relevant stakeholders in the signatory states in order to be able to use the LDN Toolbox for planning, monitoring and decision-making processes.
• It also supports the exchange of knowledge and experiences between the parties on applying the LDN Toolbox.

The project is aimed at national and regional stakeholders involved in sustainable spatial planning. This includes political and technical officials in governments and ministries as well as other national, regional and local contracting parties. The plan is to reach 20 of the 197 UNCCD parties directly.

Last update: January 2024