Chapter 15
Putting 200 Million People “on the
Map”: Evolving Methods and Tools
Emily Eros
15.1 Introduction
Accurate maps play a critical role in understanding human communities, particularly for populations at risk. Maps help individuals to understand their surroundings,
locate features of interest, plan routes and journeys, and conduct broader scale processes such as urban planning and disaster response. In crisis situations specifically,
basemaps and geospatial data act as key tools for first responders and NGOs to visualize damage assessments; assess infrastructure, hazards, and demographics; plan
local and larger scale emergency response activities; and share information among
relevant actors. A lack of maps and geographic data can prevent lifesaving resources
from meeting those in need. For this reason, mapping is a core component of the Red
Cross’ disaster response efforts.
Much of the Global North has been mapped with incredible detail. With an Internet connection or a smartphone, individuals can instantly access detailed address
information, building footprints, transit information, and locations for health facilities, public services, and businesses. This is still not the reality for billions of people
in vulnerable areas, however. Popular services such as Google Maps lack information for much of the Global South; many communities exist as simply a place name
and perhaps a collection of roads. Other communities are absent entirely. Even when
a community is mapped at a detailed level, information published without an open
license (e.g., many web-maps and PDF maps) offers limited value to humanitarian
actors. A user often cannot download the information, combine it with other datasets,
and create and share products from it. Thus, the user is essentially viewing a picture
of data rather than accessing the data directly. The same is true for mapping products
created by government agencies and other traditional mapping authorities, who have
E. Eros (B)
American Red Cross, Washington, DC, USA
e-mail: emily.eros@gmail.com
© The Author(s) 2018
S. Hostettler et al. (eds.), Technologies for Development,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91068-0_15
177
Putting 200 Million People “on the
Map”: Evolving Methods and Tools
Emily Eros
15.1 Introduction
Accurate maps play a critical role in understanding human communities, particularly for populations at risk. Maps help individuals to understand their surroundings,
locate features of interest, plan routes and journeys, and conduct broader scale processes such as urban planning and disaster response. In crisis situations specifically,
basemaps and geospatial data act as key tools for first responders and NGOs to visualize damage assessments; assess infrastructure, hazards, and demographics; plan
local and larger scale emergency response activities; and share information among
relevant actors. A lack of maps and geographic data can prevent lifesaving resources
from meeting those in need. For this reason, mapping is a core component of the Red
Cross’ disaster response efforts.
Much of the Global North has been mapped with incredible detail. With an Internet connection or a smartphone, individuals can instantly access detailed address
information, building footprints, transit information, and locations for health facilities, public services, and businesses. This is still not the reality for billions of people
in vulnerable areas, however. Popular services such as Google Maps lack information for much of the Global South; many communities exist as simply a place name
and perhaps a collection of roads. Other communities are absent entirely. Even when
a community is mapped at a detailed level, information published without an open
license (e.g., many web-maps and PDF maps) offers limited value to humanitarian
actors. A user often cannot download the information, combine it with other datasets,
and create and share products from it. Thus, the user is essentially viewing a picture
of data rather than accessing the data directly. The same is true for mapping products
created by government agencies and other traditional mapping authorities, who have
E. Eros (B)
American Red Cross, Washington, DC, USA
e-mail: emily.eros@gmail.com
© The Author(s) 2018
S. Hostettler et al. (eds.), Technologies for Development,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91068-0_15
177