Supporting SDG 15, Life on Land: Identifying the Main Drivers of Land Degradation in Honghe Prefecture, China, between 2005 and 2015
The essence of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations is described in 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 15 focuses on Life on Land, in other words, terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as their services. Land degradation is a severe anthropic...
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MDPI AG
2020-11-01
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| Series: | ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/9/12/710 |
| _version_ | 1797546445223493632 |
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| author | Tuo Wang Gregory Giuliani Anthony Lehmann Yangming Jiang Xiaodong Shao Liping Li Huihui Zhao |
| author_facet | Tuo Wang Gregory Giuliani Anthony Lehmann Yangming Jiang Xiaodong Shao Liping Li Huihui Zhao |
| author_sort | Tuo Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The essence of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations is described in 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 15 focuses on Life on Land, in other words, terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as their services. Land degradation is a severe anthropic and natural phenomenon that is affecting land use/cover globally; therefore, a dedicated target of the SDG 15 (the indicator 15.3.1) was proposed. The identification of the areas where land degradation has occurred and the analysis of its drivers allow for the design of solutions to prevent further degradation in the studied areas. We followed the methodology proposed by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to study the land degradation in the Honghe Prefecture in southwest China between 2005 and 2015. Through spatial analysis, we found that the degraded areas were consistent with the areas of active human activities (such as urban centers), while the impact of natural factors (such as disasters) on land degradation existed in small areas at high altitudes. Land degradation was affected primarily by the loss of land productivity and secondly by land cover changes caused by the growth of artificial areas. Changes in the soil organic carbon were not significant. We concluded that human activity was the main driver of land degradation in Honghe Prefecture. Decision makers should work to find a balance between economic development and environmental protection to restore degraded land and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral prefecture to defend all ecosystem services. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:30:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-26ae3ec5f961453ab5d07a04b10c2036 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2220-9964 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:30:15Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information |
| spelling | doaj.art-26ae3ec5f961453ab5d07a04b10c20362023-11-20T22:38:18ZengMDPI AGISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information2220-99642020-11-0191271010.3390/ijgi9120710Supporting SDG 15, Life on Land: Identifying the Main Drivers of Land Degradation in Honghe Prefecture, China, between 2005 and 2015Tuo Wang0Gregory Giuliani1Anthony Lehmann2Yangming Jiang3Xiaodong Shao4Liping Li5Huihui Zhao6Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaEnviroSPACE Laboratory, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Bd. Carl-Vogt 66, 1205 Geneva, SwitzerlandEnviroSPACE Laboratory, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Bd. Carl-Vogt 66, 1205 Geneva, SwitzerlandAerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaHonghe Tobacco Company, Mile 652399, ChinaAerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaAerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaThe essence of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations is described in 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 15 focuses on Life on Land, in other words, terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as their services. Land degradation is a severe anthropic and natural phenomenon that is affecting land use/cover globally; therefore, a dedicated target of the SDG 15 (the indicator 15.3.1) was proposed. The identification of the areas where land degradation has occurred and the analysis of its drivers allow for the design of solutions to prevent further degradation in the studied areas. We followed the methodology proposed by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to study the land degradation in the Honghe Prefecture in southwest China between 2005 and 2015. Through spatial analysis, we found that the degraded areas were consistent with the areas of active human activities (such as urban centers), while the impact of natural factors (such as disasters) on land degradation existed in small areas at high altitudes. Land degradation was affected primarily by the loss of land productivity and secondly by land cover changes caused by the growth of artificial areas. Changes in the soil organic carbon were not significant. We concluded that human activity was the main driver of land degradation in Honghe Prefecture. Decision makers should work to find a balance between economic development and environmental protection to restore degraded land and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral prefecture to defend all ecosystem services.https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/9/12/710SDG indicatormain driverland degradationHonghe |
| spellingShingle | Tuo Wang Gregory Giuliani Anthony Lehmann Yangming Jiang Xiaodong Shao Liping Li Huihui Zhao Supporting SDG 15, Life on Land: Identifying the Main Drivers of Land Degradation in Honghe Prefecture, China, between 2005 and 2015 ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information SDG indicator main driver land degradation Honghe |
| title | Supporting SDG 15, Life on Land: Identifying the Main Drivers of Land Degradation in Honghe Prefecture, China, between 2005 and 2015 |
| title_full | Supporting SDG 15, Life on Land: Identifying the Main Drivers of Land Degradation in Honghe Prefecture, China, between 2005 and 2015 |
| title_fullStr | Supporting SDG 15, Life on Land: Identifying the Main Drivers of Land Degradation in Honghe Prefecture, China, between 2005 and 2015 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Supporting SDG 15, Life on Land: Identifying the Main Drivers of Land Degradation in Honghe Prefecture, China, between 2005 and 2015 |
| title_short | Supporting SDG 15, Life on Land: Identifying the Main Drivers of Land Degradation in Honghe Prefecture, China, between 2005 and 2015 |
| title_sort | supporting sdg 15 life on land identifying the main drivers of land degradation in honghe prefecture china between 2005 and 2015 |
| topic | SDG indicator main driver land degradation Honghe |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/9/12/710 |
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