Atlases of the Human Planet - Overview

Grid for 2014

The GHSL framework provides a new view on the spatial-temporal evolution of the built-up surfaces and the population living there, at the planetary and detailed scale.

Since 2016, the JRC and the GEO Human Planet Initiative produce the 'Atlas of the Human Planet'. A yearly release of the new findings related to the human presence on Earth as compiled from the new global evidences gathered by the international scientific community. Every release of the Atlas addresses the mission of the GEO Human Planet Initiative from different perspectives, including the assessment of the human and physical exposure to threats, the impact of human activities on ecosystems, and the human access to resources.

The 2018 edition of the Atlas provides a set of indicators for the urban centres identified by GHSL baseline data.
The country fact sheets in the Degree of urbanisation page provide an example of such indicators. These fact sheets are used to inform the discussion on the "global harmonized definition of cities and settlements".