Assessing the Sustainability of Land Use Changes and SDG15 in Greece

Greece features a diverse landscape with significant land cover changes over recent decades, impacting sustainability components such as biodiversity, climate stability, and ecosystem services. Monitoring and mapping these changes are essential for informed land management. This research utilizes freely available satellite data (Remote Sensing) and open-source tools (QGIS and Excel sheets) to assess key metrics, including land cover change, productivity, and soil carbon storage. We also link these metrics to estimate the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15, and the indicator SDG15.3.1, considering sustainable land use changes. The spatial synthesis of these metrics reveals areas of land improvement, stability, and degradation from 2010 to 2020, offering insights into Greece's historical land dynamics. Results highlight that most of the land remains in a stable state of “land sustainability,” but certain regions require targeted interventions to address degradation. Notably, urban expansion and intensive agriculture drive localized declines in ecosystem quality, while forest management and conservation policies contribute to stability and improvement. The methodology emphasizes transparency and replicability, with publicly available code and results tailored for Greece's unique environmental and socio-economic context. By aligning national efforts with SDG targets, this work supports policies for balancing economic growth with ecological resilience, ensuring the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, and enhancing the quality of life for present and future generations in Greece.