Introduction

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The goals represent a framework that is scientifically robust, and widely intuitive intended to build upon the progress established by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). There is a need for system wide strategic planning to integrate the economic, social and environmental dimensions into policy and actions. The goals were structured into four major areas namely; people, planet, prosperity and peace and partnerships.

One of the goals which is grouped in the prosperity category is Decent Work and Economic Development (Goal 8).  Decent work means opportunities for every- one to get work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development and social integration. In essence, the Goal 8 of the SDGs promotes the sustenance, inclusiveness and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

According to the UN, roughly half the world’s population still lives on the equivalent of about US$2 a day. And in too many places, having a job doesn’t guarantee the ability to escape from poverty. This slow and uneven progress requires us to rethink and retool our economic and social policies aimed at eradicating poverty.

GIS is an expanding field with applications in a variety of disciplines. The technology has become an increasingly useful tool in a variety of disciplines thereby supporting stakeholders and policy makers in making decisive development and economic policies that is predicated in precision in data analyzed using GIS application. At the same time, it has also become more mainstream in its application among users who are not experts in cartography or database management.

Overview

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have various industrial applications, and technological advancements have significantly enhanced GIS data, specifically how it can be used and what can be achieved as a result. Geographic Information Systems are powerful decision-making tools for any business or industry since it allows the analyzation of environmental, demographic, and topographic data. Data intelligence compiled from GIS applications help companies, industries, consumers and policy makers make informed decisions.

GIS has become the most important tool for geographical planning and analysis for economists and government professionals. GIS models are especially useful for problem solving and problem evaluation. Combined with technological advancements, they prove a dynamic tool for economists, who usually spend their hours working with spatial data, to plan and evaluate economic data to make better decisions. Applied economists use spatial data to obtain significant information and then use that information to solve specific problems. The GIS models can help applied economists in understanding various prevailing issues some of which include, but are not limited to:

·         How to minimize the effect of agricultural chemicals on drinking water?

·         How to assess the economic losses?

·         How to determine the locations that can be appropriate for hazardous waste treatment?

·         What will be the cost associated with various development projects?

Which is why I recommended GIS and its applications in addressing the issues faced in the actualization of Goal 8 of the SDGs.

Goal of this idea

Using GIS to address the issue surrounding decent work and economic development

Objectives

In actualizing this goal, the following are objectives to the goal which is to inculcate GIS Applications and its processes into the following endeavor: -

-          Efficient workplace security and social protection

-          Delivering fair income

-          Flexibility of working arrangement

-          Better prospects for personal development and social integration

Approach and Strategy

Due to the population pressures, encroachment of human habitations, and other ignorant and destructive activities on land resources which increases every year, economic and social developers need effective decision-making tools that help them conduct analysis, display and disseminate results and make informed decisions about where to locate new businesses or grow existing ones, design well secured working environment and project better prospects for social integration and personal development. GIS technology is proven to be that powerful and effective tool in delivering these functionalities to help economic developers sustain economic recovery and growth. GIS tools can provide the necessary platform for visualization, modeling, analysis, and collaboration.  An economic specialist can utilize the power of GIS Applications in conducting EIA, ESIA, Projection, Site Analysis etc with the aim of conforming to best standards in delivering of economic and social projects that will promote economic and social development. With an ability to combine a variety of datasets in an infinite number of ways, GIS is a useful tool for nearly every field of knowledge. So the strategy is to inculcate GIS processes in the planning, execution, implementation and evaluation of action plans in relation to creating a descent work environment which will lead to economic development.

Expected Results and Innovation

The need for a scientific and quantitative analysis of the economic, social, demographic and environmental characteristic of a region is the main reasons for development. Economic development plan, as an important part of regional development plan, is being considered more extensively. The major aim of economic development plan is to deal with economic development and resources utilization within a certain region in a scope of time in future. In the past, nature is reckoned as a world lack of spatial dimension usually. Time is considered as the most vital factor in commonly economic plan and economic analysis, while spatial factor is ignored. Spatial organizing forms and principles of economic activities are less thought essentially in the process of economic planning. These approaches, which are adopted in the process of economic planning and analyzing, are mainly based on the developing history, current situation of regional economy. Regional economic development becomes a common cognition among all levels of government. To obtain a rapid, healthy growth of regional economy, various technologies are introduced into. GIS technology is one of those and is now being applied to the process of economic development at local, regional and state levels. Decision-makers recognize that GIS technology and its application is an interactive visualization and decision-support tool to directly support the planning of aesthetically pleasing environment and also promoting economic development.

The result of fusing GIS applications into achieving the SDGs Goal 8 will lead to sustain economic development and improve work environment in our locality and regions.