Introduction to Sustainable Development and Geospatial Technologies

Geospatial technology and its applications play a very important role in promoting sustainable development practices. This involves utilizing satellite imagery, geographic information system (GIS) and global navigation satellite system (GNSS)/global positioning system (GPS) to collect, analyze, or visualize information according to specific requirements and trends. In the next 15 years, countries will be guided by the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, a worldwide policy aimed at addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. Many of these challenges have a geographical dimension, making a geographic context essential for studying, modeling, and mapping the issues affecting sustainable development. This, in turn, provides the foundation for international cooperation and decision-making based on evidence. Despite notable advancements in geospatial(geographic) technology, there is still a lack of various awareness and adoption of critical. This gap is particularly evident in developing nations, mostly affected by sustainable development challenges. The absence of policies and guidance, along with the necessary linkages to national geospatial frameworks, poses a significant hindrance. The global geospatial community can contribute its data resources to measure and monitor 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and all their 169 associated targets by the worldwide indicator framework of the 2030 Agenda. It presents a great opportunity to integrate geographic information into the worldwide developmental agenda more effectively or sustainably. GIS technology application is beneficial for policymakers and planners in making decisions about land use, land planning, and natural resource management, which optimize and enhance the efficiency of public services. In this chapter, we will explore case studies and applications of GIS technology that enhances the efficiency of sustainable development goals and related matters.