DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.16573473
title: Trends.Earth SDG Indicator 15.3.1 Datasets

description: These files contain SDG 15.3.1 indicator data for the 2000-2015 baseline time period and for the 2015-2019 and 2019-2023 UNCCD reporting period using data available in Trends.Earth. There are three different versions of the global data available, using three different land productivity dynamics (LPD) datasets: Trends.Earth, FAO-WOCAT, and JRC. The files are prepared using the default land cover data in Trends.Earth (ESA-CCI) to calculate the land cover and soil organic carbon (based on land cover transitions) indicators. The files are saved as a cloud-optimized geotiffs (COGs) using 16-bit integers.

Each band follows the standard conventions used in Trends.Earth. See the documentation of Trends.Earth for further information on how to interpret the values contained within each band. The datasets were processed in alignment with the Good Practice Guidance for SDG Indicator 15.3.1, and in particular the Addendum to the Good Practice Guidance, which provides guidance on how to assess status of land relative to a baseline.

The files contained within this record are also available on Google Cloud storage and as Google Earth Engine assets via the below uris:



Google Cloud Storage (COGs)



Trends.Earth (7.2 GB)

FAO-WOCAT (8.6 GB)

JRC (3.7 GB)



Google Earth Engine (GEE) Assets



Trends.Earth

FAO-WOCAT

JRC




The included QGIS map file (created with QGIS version 3.44) can be used to view the tiffs in QGIS with the standard Trends.Earth symbology applied to each layer.

These data products are made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). The boundaries and names used, and the designations used, in Trends.Earth do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by Conservation International Foundation, or its partner organizations and contributors.

Changelog



Version 1.2. Released November 3, 3025. Fixes error in SOC degradation layer calculation, and adds additional files containing datasets derived using FAO-WOCAT and JRC Land Productivity Dynamics layers.

Version 1.1. Released September 8, 2025. Applies updated MODIS product MOD13Q1 version 6.1; Fixes errors in calculation of bands 10, 11, and 14 due to use of deprecated MODIS dataset.

Version 1.0. Released July 29, 2025


Bands (LPD layer depends on dataset)



Band 1: SDG Indicator 15.3.1 for baseline (2000-2015)

Band 2: Land Productivity Dynamics (method varies depending on file) for 2001 - 2015

Band 3: Land cover degradation for 2000 - 2015

Band 4: Soil organic carbon degradation for 2000 - 2015

Band 5: SDG Indicator 15.3.1 for 2004-2019

Band 6: Land Productivity Dynamics (method varies depending on file) for 2004 - 2019

Band 7: Land cover degradation for 2015 - 2019

Band 8: Soil organic carbon degradation for 2015 - 2019

Band 9: SDG Indicator 15.3.1 status in 2019 (compared to 2000-2015 baseline)

Band 10: SDG Indicator 15.3.1 for 2008-2023

Band 11: Land Productivity Dynamics (method varies depending on file) for 2008-2023

Band 12: Land cover degradation for 2015 - 2022

Band 13: Soil organic carbon degradation for 2015 - 2022

Band 14: SDG Indicator 15.3.1 status in 2023 (compared to 2000-2015 baseline)


Band coding

SDG 15.3.1 Indicator








Value



Meaning







-32768



No data





-1



Degradation





0



No change





1



Improvement






SDG 15.3.1 Indicator (status)








Value



Meaning







-32768



No data





1



Degradation (persistent)





2



Degradation (recent)





3



Degradation (baseline)





4



Stability





5



Improvement (baseline)





6



Improvement (recent)





7



Improvement (persistent)





Land Productivity Dynamics








Value



Meaning







-32768



No data





1



Declining





2



Moderate decline





3



Stressed





4



Stable





5



Increasing





Land cover (degradation)








Value



Meaning







-32768



No data





-1



Degradation





0



No change





1



Improvement






Soil organic carbon (degradation)








Value



Meaning







-32768



No data





Any other value



Percentage change in soil organic carbon content (0 - 30 cm depth) from baseline to target year. Positive values indicate increase, negative values indicate decrease.