Applying the EVDT Systems Engineering Framework and satellite Earth Observation data for mapping SDG15 indicators in Ghana

Satellite Earth Observation data can provide a resource to assist national statistical services as they compile data in support of reporting on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Indicators via Voluntary National Reviews. Many national statistical services have traditionally relied on ground-based survey as the primary data collection approach. Several SDG Indicators, including SDG13 (Climate Action), SDG14 (Life Below Water) and SDG15 (Life on Land), can be facilitated by the use of satellite-based Earth Observation data. The process of adopting nontraditional data sources for SDG reporting requires collaboration among interdisciplinary teams with backgrounds in statistics, economics, remote sensing, geospatial data management and survey methods. The present study provides the experience of a collaborative team including leaders from the Ghana Statistical Service, the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute and the a team of US-based scholars to apply satellite Earth Observation data for mapping several SDG15 Indicators. The work also includes a demonstration of methods for mapping changes in land cover and deforestation due to mining. The works shows that the adoption of a set of Systems Engineering Frameworks called Systems Architecture and EVDT (Environment-Vulnerability-Decision-Technology) facilitate the collaboration among experts from different backgrounds and provides a map for the translation of scientific analysis into policy-relevant findings. The methods use a combination of qualitative interviews, field visits, in-situ data collection, analysis of satellite Earth Observation data and software development. The findings demonstrate an upgraded capability adopted by the government of Ghana to support ongoing SDG Voluntary National Reporting.