International Journal of Land Review Article
Advancing Land Sustainability Through Geospatial Technologies
Abstract
Land resources are vital for ecosystem integrity, food security, climate resilience, biodiversity, and sustainable urban development. Consequently, effective land management is essential to achieving land-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDGs 2, 11, 13, 15, and 16. Recent advancements in geospatial technologies have modernized spatial data collection, integration, and analysis, laying the foundation for evidence-based decision-making. Geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), light detection and ranging (LiDAR), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)—alongside cloud platforms, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), digital twins, and big data analytics—now support sustainable land governance. Integrated geospatial frameworks enable real-time tracking of SDG indicators, boosting policy execution and environmental governance. However, key barriers—such as data interoperability issues, resolution limits, technical capacity gaps, ethical concerns, and unequal access to infrastructure—continue to hinder adoption, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Future research focuses on AI-driven geospatial intelligence, cloud computing, participatory mapping, and digital twin technology to overcome these challenges. Synthesizing these recent developments provides researchers, policymakers, and environmental managers with actionable insights to leverage geospatial tools and accelerate progress toward the SDGs.
Keywords
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