Detecting Inequalities from Earth Observation–Derived Global Societal Variables

Societal inequalities manifest at a range of scales, from coarse (inter-continent) to fine (intra-city). Satellite-measured night-time lights (NTL) have shown value for capturing and estimating socio-economic characteristics, including economic activity, well-being, and poverty. However, multi-scale mapping and visualization of inequalities, especially their relative gradations and spatial patterns, has remained a challenge. To narrow this gap, we developed an approach that combines globally-available built-up surface, population density, and night-time light intensity. The integration of these Earth Observation-derived variables through a spatial visualization frame reveals patterns of societal inequalities at different scales. Our findings suggest that: 1) Outlining and mapping settlements using night-time lights under represents settlements of low income countries, as both rural and suburbia of larger cities of the Global South, are scarcely lit at night. 2) Combining population and built-up that spatially locate people on the surface of the Earth with NTL provides insights on deprivation related to the lack of electricity and the services that come with it. 3) Night-time lights and inequality maps are the result of many factors that need to be addressed at different scales. New, fine resolution NTL, population and built-up density that are now becoming available, may provide additional insights.

EHRLICH Daniele;  PESARESI Martino;  KEMPER Thomas;  SCHIAVINA Marcello;  CARNEIRO FREIRE Sergio Manuel;  MELCHIORRI Michele; 

2024-11-27

JRC131912

978-3-031-49183-2 (online),   

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49183-2_3,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC131912,   

10.1007/978-3-031-49183-2_3 (online),