GIS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are tools used by analysts in the geospatial industry to collect data that is georeferenced and then analyze, model, simulate, and visualize it. In this article, we will discuss how GIS can aid in sustainable development by first understanding how humans are linked to climate change and biodiversity loss.

UNDERSTANDING BIODIVERSITY

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 14 and 15 aim to address issues affecting life on land and life below water (biodiversity).

Biodiversity (or biological diversity) refers to all of the different types of life that exist at various levels on Earth. Humans and human cultural diversity are included in biodiversity, introducing the term “biocultural,” which refers to the dynamic, ever-changing, and interconnected nature of people and place, as well as the idea that social and biological dimensions are interconnected. All living things, from humans to microbes, fungi, and invertebrates, are included in biodiversity. Each of these species and organisms works together to maintain balance and life in ecosystems.

HUMANS AND BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity is valued for many reasons, including what it provides to humans and the value it has in itself. The value of biodiversity can also be understood through the lens of the relationships we form and strive for with each other and the rest of nature. We may value biodiversity because of how it shapes who we are, our relationships with each other, and social norms. These relational values are part of people’s individual or collective sense of wellbeing, responsibility for, and connection with the environment. The different values placed on biodiversity are important because they can influence the conservation decisions people make every day.

It cannot be denied that humans dominate the planet, causing rapid ecosystem change and a massive loss of biodiversity across the planet. This has led some people to refer to the time we now live in as the “anthropocene.” While the Earth has always experienced changes and extinctions, today they are occurring at an unprecedented rate. Researches have shown that the major threats to biodiversity include habitat loss and fragmentation, unsustainable resource use, invasive species, pollution, and global climate change. The underlying causes of biodiversity loss, such as a growing human population and overconsumption, are often complex and stem from many interrelated factors.

BIODIVERSITY & CLIMATE CHANGE

United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 calls for Climate Action. Climate change is playing a very large role in the decline of biodiversity. Climate change has altered marine, terrestrial, and freshwater ecosystems around the world. When land is converted for agriculture, some animal and plant species lose their habitat and face extinction. A major impact of climate change on biodiversity is the increase in intensity and frequency of fires, storms, and periods of drought.

While climate change can drive species loss and decrease biodiversity, it is important to remember that biodiversity can also help mitigate climate change. For example, grassland soils sequester more carbon in areas with high plant diversity than areas with low plant diversity.

GIS IN REDUCING THE IMPACTS OF

CLIMATE CHANGE ON BIODIVERSITY

Geographic Information Systems accommodate a large variety of spatial and non-spatial data regarding biodiversity and have become an important tool in making sure that sustainable development goals are met by :

  • Providing geographically referenced information that can guide effective decision-making for complex tourism development activities and planning.
  • Providing spatial information of the areas where temperatures are unusually high or irregular in comparison to the global average.
  • Determining the natural atmospheric processes that affect global warming.
  • Helping natural disaster responders create maps based on remote sensing data and satellite imagery.
  • Enabling conservation professionals to access and utilize current, historical, and time-series information relevant to conservation, including data on species occurrences, ecosystem conditions, watershed boundaries, and land-use patterns.
  • Remote sensing as part and parcel of GIS has also transformed the monitoring of life on Earth by revealing the spatial and temporal dimensions of biodiversity through structural, compositional, and functional measurements of ecosystems.
  • Visualizing factors that have a potential effect to biodiversity.
  • Providing models that help in making informed decisions.

In conclusion, inasmuch as humans are at the root cause of rapid changes in the ecosystem that are leading to climate change and a decline in biodiversity, there is room for them to adapt to the use of Geographic Information Systems and monitor these changes for a sustainable development.

SOURCES

What is biodiversity?| AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 

How does climate change affect biodiversity?| ROYAL SOCIETY

Conservation and GIS ( Fact Sheet)|AUDUBON INTERNATIONAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

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About the Author

Nettey Madhinga

Nettey Madhinga is Geomatics and Surveying Student at Gwanda State University, Zimbabwe. She is an OpenStreetMap contributor and a GIS enthusiast. Nettey believes that through inspiration, young people passionate about the geospatial industry will grow into surveyors and geomaticians with vision.

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