The Impact of Mining Activities on Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) and Ecosystem Services in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case of the Republic of Ghana using Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Year 2025, Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 255 - 277, 31.08.2025

Michael Stanley Peprah

Abstract

Mining operations in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Ghana, substantially modify Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) and impair ecosystem services (ES), presenting obstacles to environmental sustainability and human welfare. This study investigates the research topic by analysing the degree of mining effects on LULC and ES, with Ghana as a case study. The aims encompass evaluating deforestation rates, measuring ecosystem service losses, and identifying sustainable mining methodologies. A systematic review and meta-analysis technique was utilized, examining 86 papers from 2000 to 2025 to consolidate empirical evidence. Principal findings indicate that mining, particularly artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), has resulted in a 304% escalation in land conversion, considerable deforestation (30–86% in certain areas), and the pollution of water bodies with heavy metals such as mercury. Large-scale mining (LSM) and artisanal ASM exert distinct influences on LULC, with ASM disproportionately contributing to environmental degradation. The analysis underscores deficiencies in policy, notably the insufficient enforcement of environmental restrictions and the lack of effective post-mining rehabilitation efforts. Recommendations entail the implementation of more stringent rules, active community involvement in oversight, and the use of environmentally sustainable mining methods. These findings seek to guide evidence-based policies that reconcile economic advantages with environmental preservation, in accordance with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6, 13, and 15. The study highlights the necessity for cohesive strategies to alleviate mining effects while sustaining livelihoods in Ghana and analogous regions in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Keywords

Mining activities , Land use and land cover , Ecosystem services sub-Saharan Africa , Systematic review , Meta-analysis

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