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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 Ghana Coastal Erosion
21. October 2024
Team Ghana Coastal Erosion is working to safeguard the country’s 550 km coastline, with a focus on the Keta Lagoon, from erosion and flooding. By developing an integrated shoreline monitoring system, leveraging Earth observation and geospatial data, and engaging local stakeholders, the team is advancing sustainable marine management and contributing to Land Degradation Neutrality.
Calculating Soil Loss as a Basis for Restoration
30. September 2024
GEO-LDN has integrated the IMPACT Toolbox, developed by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, into its Toolbox. Featuring the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), this free, open-source tool helps identify erosion-prone areas, improve land monitoring and reporting, and design targeted strategies for sustainable land management at national and local levels.
