Godwin E. Akpan’s Post

I spent some time learning about Geographic Information Systems (GIS) recently. I created a web app that visualizes deforestation, specifically targeting the Amazon rainforest in South America. The Amazon, Earth's largest tropical forest, plays a vital role as a carbon sink. Imagine a giant storage tank for carbon. That is essentially what a carbon sink is. It is a natural system, like a forest, that absorbs more carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere than it releases. Plants use CO2 during photosynthesis, the process they use to create food. As they grow, they store the carbon in their leaves, branches, and roots. The Amazon rainforest is amazing at this. It takes in massive amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere and contributes to climate change. However, deforestation threatens to turn this vital resource into a problem. When forests are cut down, the stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere as CO2. This shift could potentially transform the Amazon from a carbon sink into a significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter. My web app focuses on the Brazilian state of Rondônia, located squarely within an "arc of deforestation" – a region in the Amazon where industrial agriculture and deforestation have seen a dramatic increase in recent decades. The map allows users to see how land cover in Rondônia has changed over the past two decades, specifically highlighting areas that were once forest but are now cropland or urban areas. Check it out! https://lnkd.in/gRxPs6xy #climatechange #sustainability #climateMOOC #arcgis #esri

GIS for Climate Action and visualizing Amazon deforestation. I’m excited to be taking ESRI’s GIS for Climate Action course and to acquire more climate-related GIS skills. Below is a link to an “app,” an online map, that I created as part of the course showing changes in land cover for the Brazilian state of Rondania between 1992 and 2020. The app allows you to move a slider bar to visualize the dramatic increase in deforestation between the two dates. https://lnkd.in/eQWYKEBy The state of Rondonia accounts for 3.9% of the remaining Amazonian tropical forest. It is also one of the most deforested regions in Brazil. In 2023, Rondonia accounted for about 14 % of the Amazon rainforest's deforestation in Brazil. If you click on the upper right corner box, the app lists the land cover classes by color. As you move the slider bar from left to right, you can see the conversion of forest to cropland and cattle grazing that account for most of the deforestation. Key takeaways ➡ Deforestation in Rondonia and throughout the Amazon is occurring at an alarming rate. ➡ Given the extensive areas of tropical forest converted to agricultural use, regenerative agriculture will be central to restoring the Amazon and creating more sustainable agricultural practices. #GIS, #regenerative_agriculture, #deforestation, #ESRI_MOOC

"The Amazon is the Earth’s largest tropical forest and is an important carbon sink. However, as a result of deforestation, the Amazon could become a GHG emitter instead, because when forests are cut down, much of the carbon stored in the trees gets released back into the atmosphere as CO2. the Brazilian state of Rondônia, which is part of an "arc of deforestation"—the Amazonian territories where industrial agriculture and deforestation have significantly increased in recent decades. This map visualizes where land cover change has occurred in the past two decades in Rondônia, specifically land that changed from forest to cropland and urban areas." Press the following link to see the first map i was able to create, being guided by the GIS for Climate Action Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). Never stop learning new things! https://lnkd.in/dqF4HvD5 #climateMOOC

Hello Everyone! I want to share my ESRI MOOC "GIS For Climate Change" exercise, which is to create an ArcGIS Instant Map showing the deforestation of Rondônia between 1992 and 2020. from the map, we can see that the growing change from forests to cropland had expanded exponentially in only two decades caused by industrial agriculture. These changes can affect the local ecosystem and increase the impact of climate change. click on the link to see my first instant map! #climateMOOC

Why understanding forest land cover changes matters: an app developed using ArcGIS Instant Apps for the Esri Academy MOOC course "GIS for Climate Action" showcases the dramatic transformation in Rondonia's forests from 1992 to 2020. 🌳🗺️ This interactive tool lets users swipe across the map to visualize nearly three decades of change, highlighting the urgent need for climate action and conservation efforts. Explore the app through the link below and see how GIS technology can raise awareness and drive solutions for environmental challenges. #ClimateMOOC #GISforClimateAction #ArcGIS #EsriAcademy #EnvironmentalAwareness #Deforestation #ClimateChange #Sustainability #GeospatialTechnology #ForestConservation #TechForGood

Holstenkoski Dam, Finland: The dam removal and the rapid restoration of the Holstenkoski will facilitate fish migration upstream by up to 43 kilometers, enhancing the ecological condition of the Aneriojoki River. https://lnkd.in/dGzht3RY

🏞️ Sarantaporos (~50km), the biggest tributary of the transboundary Aoos/Vjosa River (~270km), has recently been designated as a Protected Natural Formation and Protected Landscape by the Ministry of Environment and Energy. ❗ However, development control regulations and restrictions associated with this designation have not yet been decided, and the river's integrity faces significant challenges. 🚧 The planned installation of approximately 30 small hydropower plants (out of a total of approximately 50 being currently planned for the entire Aoos river system) threatens to fragment the hydrographic network and degrade its ecological integrity! 🔬The #SarantaporosScienceWeek comes to contribute to the effective and full protection of the Aoos river system, filling important gaps in scientific knowledge with regard to the Sarantaporos river biodiversity and natural processes. The goal is to highlight its ecological value, as well as the urgent need to maintain the free flow of water throughout the entire transboundary Aoos/Vjosa river basin. 🌊🌳🌍 EcoAlbania EuroNatur Foundation Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT) Austrian Development Agency Wetlands International @📹: Aris Giannoukos #ScienceWeek #AoosVjosaTransboundaryParkNow #Sarantaporos #Aoos #Vjosa #WildRiver #FreeFlow #WildRiverNationalPark #SaveTheBlueHeartOfEurope #BalkanRivers #Greece #Albania #ScientistsForBalkanRivers #RiversUnite #NoDams #LetItFlow #FreeFlow #ProtectAoos #FreeFlowingRivers #Biodiversity #Conservation #RiverScience #RiverConservation #Konitsa #Vourbiani #Mastorochoria

Landlocked country of Mongolia was an ocean for 115 million years after tearing off Earth’s mantle https://lnkd.in/dHc8DS6j #atlanticocean, #climate, #earth, #environment, #fish, #getgreengetgrowing, #gngagritech, #greenstories, #land, #Mongolia, #nature, #ocean, #plants, #volcanicrocks

In #Kyrgyzstan, based on the reports of state bodies, new trees are widely planted across the country, while the area of forests is increasing steadily. However, thousands of dead plantlets and wasted millions of dollars are hidden behind fine words and figures. In 2022, Sadyr Japarov launched the national campaign ‘Jashyl Muras’ (translated from Kyrgyz as Green Legacy). Its main goal was is ensure ecological safety, environmental protection, conservation and extension of the forest area. According to the ‘Jashyl Muras’ plan, 5-6 million plantlets must be planted every year in the country. All state bodies must submit a report about planted trees to the Department of Forestry no later than the 5th day of every month. In turn, the ministry of natural resources must report to the presidential administration on the project implementation. “We make sure that every tree is taken care of duly. No tree will be left uncared,” said Azamat Temirkulov, representative of the administration. On March 12, 2002, Japarov in his message to representatives of international organisations and diplomats emphasised the importance of forests for the future generations at the ceremony of official launch of the initiative at the national park Ala-Archa: “Climate change, weather deterioration, glacier melting is the challenge not only for our country, but also for the entire world. Therefore, every human in the world, regardless of who they are and what country they live in, must contribute to addressing the challenge.” The president took the decision on ‘Jashyl Muras’ campaign after the world leaders summit in Glasgow (UK), where Kyrgyzstan offered to declare 2022 the year of sustainable mountain development at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly. #cabarasia #iwpr #centralasia https://lnkd.in/ethyajyN

🚨NEW PUBLICATION ALERT🚨 Pemba's fringing reefs represent 9% of Tanzania's coral reefs, and are known for their high coral and fish diversity, large predatory fish and complex reef structures, including steep walls and ledges. In this study, Mishal Gudka et al. make a case for strengthening their local management, further offering recommendations. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/dtXmacfK #coralreefs #lmmas #localmanagement #marineconservation