Upcoming Events
GEO-LDN Flagship
The GEO Land Degradation Neutrality Flagship (GEO-LDN) is a stakeholder-driven initiative that was launched in 2018 during the GEO Week in Kyoto, Japan, responding to a request by the UNCCD’s Conference of the Parties (COP13). It brings together Earth observation data providers and governments to develop minimum data quality standards, analytical tools and capacity building needed to strengthen land degradation monitoring and reporting, using remote sensing and data collected on site.
GEO-LDN helps governments to access the necessary datasets and tools to prioritize interventions, monitor outcomes to manage land better and to report on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 15.3.1 (Decision 9/COP.13).
“Countries should not have to navigate multiple disconnected support systems.”
In this statement recorded for the GEO Symposium 2026 Community Event, Barron J. Orr (Chief Scientist at the UNCCD) reflects on the progress made through the GEO-LDN Initiative and outlines the next step: moving from coordination to operational integration across GEO initiatives, interoperable data and tools, and coordinated regional support for countries implementing the Rio Conventions.
The LDN Toolbox is a user-oriented entry point to a suite of analytical tools, datasets and methods for land use planning towards land degradation neutrality. The workflow of the toolbox is structured according to the typical 5 phases of an integrated land use planning cycle, as presented in a report of the UNCCD Science-Policy interface on “The contribution of integrated land use planning and integrated landscape management to implementing Land Degradation Neutrality: Entry points and support tools”.
Latest News
#HowToLDN Team Georgia
13. November 2024
With 6.63% of land degraded, Team Georgia leverages Earth observation and hotspot mapping to improve Land Productivity Dynamics and guide pastureland restoration. A new LPD comparison app and a multi-stakeholder approach are strengthening national LDN targets and aligning policies with SDG 15.3.
#HowToLDN Team Senegal
5. November 2024
Team Senegal advances Land Degradation Neutrality in the northern pastoral zone, where ~34% of land is degraded. An intersectoral working group, unified assessment methods, and capacity-building underpin a 2025 roadmap using geospatial data and WOCAT-based tools to produce SLM products, with a restitution and validation workshop planned for October 2025.
#HowToLDN Team Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
30. October 2024
Team DRC is advancing Land Degradation Neutrality by 2030, aiming to restore 8 million ha of forest and improve cropland and shrubland productivity. With GEO-LDN, the team is building a national LDN baseline map and monitoring system. The 2024 roadmap set up a multisectoral task force, workshops, and validated indicators.
