Climate change champion Abdulai Alhassan uses Digital Earth Africa to monitor environmental changes in Ghana, and his preliminary findings indicate concerning deforestation in the northern regions of Ghana. Deforestation is a significant problem in Ghana, with an estimated 1.6% of the country's forest cover lost each year. This deforestation contributes to climate change, soil erosion, and biodiversity loss.
Alhassan utilised DE Africa's satellite imagery to detect deforestation in real-time, with his findings to be relayed to relevant stakeholders, such as the government and forest rangers, to inform decision-makers and encourage the country to take action to prevent further deforestation.
This is a prime example of how DE Africa can be used to address real-world environmental challenges through providing open and freely accessible access to Earth observation data and tools to researchers, policymakers, private sector stakeholders and practitioners working to protect the environment while balancing societal and community needs.
Alhassan is studying towards a Master of Science degree in Climate Change at the Pan African University Institute of Water and Energy Science. In addition to his work on deforestation, Alhassan is also a team lead for Net-Zero Africa. This initiative is working to achieve net-zero emissions in Africa by 2050. Alhassan's work with Net-Zero Africa further proves his commitment to environmental sustainability.
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