For or against sustainable development? A geospatial analysis of the state of green space ecosystems in West Gonja, Ghana

Abstract

The impacts of urban growth on green space ecosystems have consistently remained in the dailies of sustainability on numerous platforms. Despite the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aiming to ensure urban sustainability, many regions struggle to achieve these targets. In light of this, this study investigated the state of green space ecosystems in Ghana's Guinea Savannah (West Gonja) and clinched the findings to the quest for global sustainability, whether it is against or for the agenda. Methodologically, geospatial and remote sensing techniques were employed to analyse the state of green spaces, revealing a dire situation: few green spaces exist (8.70 % in 2000 to 8.51 % in 2021), and they are rapidly depleting due to rising land surface temperatures (48.93°C in 2000–93.65°C in 2021), leading to intense urban heat islands (12.95 °F in 2000–52.38 °F in 2021). Anchored on this, the researchers concluded from this study’s discussions that the state of green space ecosystems in Ghana’s Guinea Savannah is against the pursuit of a global sustainable development agenda, particularly SDG 15. The researchers, therefore, recommend that countries like Ghana fully adopt the SDG targets, incorporating the services of ecosystems and the values of biodiversity into urban planning and policy-making.