IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v14y2023i1d10.1038_s41467-023-39698-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A spatio-temporal analysis investigating completeness and inequalities of global urban building data in OpenStreetMap

Author

Listed:
  • Benjamin Herfort

    (Heidelberg Institute for Geoinformation Technology
    Heidelberg University)

  • Sven Lautenbach

    (Heidelberg Institute for Geoinformation Technology)

  • João Porto de Albuquerque

    (University of Glasgow)

  • Jennings Anderson

    (Meta Platforms Inc.)

  • Alexander Zipf

    (Heidelberg Institute for Geoinformation Technology
    Heidelberg University)

Abstract

OpenStreetMap (OSM) has evolved as a popular dataset for global urban analyses, such as assessing progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. However, many analyses do not account for the uneven spatial coverage of existing data. We employ a machine-learning model to infer the completeness of OSM building stock data for 13,189 urban agglomerations worldwide. For 1,848 urban centres (16% of the urban population), OSM building footprint data exceeds 80% completeness, but completeness remains lower than 20% for 9,163 cities (48% of the urban population). Although OSM data inequalities have recently receded, partially as a result of humanitarian mapping efforts, a complex unequal pattern of spatial biases remains, which vary across various human development index groups, population sizes and geographic regions. Based on these results, we provide recommendations for data producers and urban analysts to manage the uneven coverage of OSM data, as well as a framework to support the assessment of completeness biases.

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin Herfort & Sven Lautenbach & João Porto de Albuquerque & Jennings Anderson & Alexander Zipf, 2023. "A spatio-temporal analysis investigating completeness and inequalities of global urban building data in OpenStreetMap," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-39698-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39698-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39698-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-023-39698-6?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Liqun Sun & Ji Chen & Qinglan Li & Dian Huang, 2020. "Dramatic uneven urbanization of large cities throughout the world in recent decades," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Boeing, Geoff, 2021. "Spatial information and the legibility of urban form: Big data in urban morphology," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    3. Cervero, Robert & Day, Jennifer, 2008. "Suburbanization and transit-oriented development in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 15(5), pages 315-323, September.
    4. Sachs,Jeffrey D. & Kroll,Christian & Lafortune,Guillame & Fuller,Grayson & Woelm,Finn, 2022. "Sustainable Development Report 2022," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781009210034, October.
    5. Nikola Milojevic-Dupont & Nicolai Hans & Lynn H Kaack & Marius Zumwald & François Andrieux & Daniel de Barros Soares & Steffen Lohrey & Peter-Paul Pichler & Felix Creutzig, 2020. "Learning from urban form to predict building heights," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(12), pages 1-22, December.
    6. Pascal Neis & Dennis Zielstra & Alexander Zipf, 2013. "Comparison of Volunteered Geographic Information Data Contributions and Community Development for Selected World Regions," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-19, June.
    7. Mark Graham & Ralph K. Straumann & Bernie Hogan, 2015. "Digital Divisions of Labor and Informational Magnetism: Mapping Participation in Wikipedia," Annals of the American Association of Geographers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 105(6), pages 1158-1178, November.
    8. Hanna Meyer & Edzer Pebesma, 2022. "Machine learning-based global maps of ecological variables and the challenge of assessing them," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-4, December.
    9. Steffen Fritz & Linda See & Tyler Carlson & Mordechai (Muki) Haklay & Jessie L. Oliver & Dilek Fraisl & Rosy Mondardini & Martin Brocklehurst & Lea A. Shanley & Sven Schade & Uta Wehn & Tommaso Abrate, 2019. "Author Correction: Citizen science and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(11), pages 1063-1063, November.
    10. repec:rre:publsh:v:37:y:2007:i:1:p:5-27 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Sachs,Jeffrey D. & Kroll,Christian & Lafortune,Guillame & Fuller,Grayson & Woelm,Finn, 2022. "Sustainable Development Report 2022," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781009210089, October.
    12. Steffen Fritz & Linda See & Tyler Carlson & Mordechai (Muki) Haklay & Jessie L. Oliver & Dilek Fraisl & Rosy Mondardini & Martin Brocklehurst & Lea A. Shanley & Sven Schade & Uta Wehn & Tommaso Abrate, 2019. "Citizen science and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(10), pages 922-930, October.
    13. Pierre Ploton & Frédéric Mortier & Maxime Réjou-Méchain & Nicolas Barbier & Nicolas Picard & Vivien Rossi & Carsten Dormann & Guillaume Cornu & Gaëlle Viennois & Nicolas Bayol & Alexei Lyapustin & Syl, 2020. "Spatial validation reveals poor predictive performance of large-scale ecological mapping models," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    14. Gianluca Boo & Edith Darin & Douglas R. Leasure & Claire A. Dooley & Heather R. Chamberlain & Attila N. Lázár & Kevin Tschirhart & Cyrus Sinai & Nicole A. Hoff & Trevon Fuller & Kamy Musene & Arly Bat, 2022. "High-resolution population estimation using household survey data and building footprints," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Tian, Shuai & Yang, Guoqiang & Du, Sihong & Zhuang, Dian & Zhu, Ke & Zhou, Xin & Jin, Xing & Ye, Yu & Li, Peixian & Shi, Xing, 2024. "An innovative method for evaluating the urban roof photovoltaic potential based on open-source satellite images," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. de Oliveira, Gisliany L.A. & Silva, Ivanovitch & Lima, Luciana & Costa, Daniel G., 2023. "A composite indicator of liveability based on sociodemographic and Uber quality service dimensions: A data-driven approach," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 97-115.
    2. Fareri, Silvia & Apreda, Riccardo & Mulas, Valentina & Alonso, Ruben, 2023. "The worker profiler: Assessing the digital skill gaps for enhancing energy efficiency in manufacturing," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    3. Edgar Santos‐Fernandez & Erin E. Peterson & Julie Vercelloni & Em Rushworth & Kerrie Mengersen, 2021. "Correcting misclassification errors in crowdsourced ecological data: A Bayesian perspective," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 70(1), pages 147-173, January.
    4. Michael O’Grady & Eleni Mangina, 2024. "Citizen scientists—practices, observations, and experience," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Anantha, K.H. & Garg, Kaushal K. & Barron, Jennie & Dixit, Sreenath & Venkataradha, A. & Singh, Ramesh & Whitbread, Anthony M., 2021. "Impact of best management practices on sustainable crop production and climate resilience in smallholder farming systems of South Asia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    6. Kyoko Sasaki & Wendy Stubbs & Megan Farrelly, 2023. "The relationship between corporate purpose and the sustainable development goals in large Japanese companies," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(5), pages 2475-2489, September.
    7. TRIARCHI Eirini & KOLIAS Georgios & KYPRIOTELIS Efstratios, 2023. "Exploring the Role of Institutional Governance in Climate Action in the Western Balkans Economies," European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Bucharest Economic Academy, issue 02, June.
    8. Alvarado, Rafael & Murshed, Muntasir & Cifuentes-Faura, Javier & Işık, Cem & Razib Hossain, Mohammad & Tillaguango, Brayan, 2023. "Nexuses between rent of natural resources, economic complexity, and technological innovation: The roles of GDP, human capital and civil liberties," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).
    9. Dang,Hai-Anh H. & Pullinger,John James & Serajuddin,Umar & Stacy,Brian William, 2024. "Reviewing Assessment Tools for Measuring Country Statistical Capacity," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10717, The World Bank.
    10. Snapp, Sieglinde, 2022. "Embracing variability in soils on smallholder farms: New tools and better science," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    11. Gamze Sart, 2022. "Impact of Higher Education and Globalization on Sustainable Development in the New EU Member States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-13, September.
    12. Chiuhsiang Joe Lin & Remba Yanuar Efranto, 2023. "Do Age and Gender Change the Perception of Workplace Social Sustainability?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-15, March.
    13. de Moura, Fernanda Senra & Barbrook-Johnson, Peter, 2022. "Using data-driven systems mapping to contextualise complexity economics insights," INET Oxford Working Papers 2022-27, Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford.
    14. Rakotoarimanana Zy Misa Harivelo & Rakotoarimanana Zy Harifidy, 2022. "A Review of Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development in Madagascar," J, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-20, November.
    15. Antonio Sianes & Luis A. Fernández-Portillo & Adela Toscano-Valle & Elena Pérez-Velasco, 2023. "Heterogeneity in financing for development strategies as a hindering factor to achieve a global agreement on the 2030 Agenda," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, December.
    16. Sachit Mahajan & Ming-Kuang Chung & Jenny Martinez & Yris Olaya & Dirk Helbing & Ling-Jyh Chen, 2022. "Translating citizen-generated air quality data into evidence for shaping policy," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-18, December.
    17. Renata Dana Nițu-Antonie & Emőke-Szidónia Feder & Kristina Stamenovic & Adrian Brudan, 2022. "A Moderated Serial–Parallel Mediation Model of Sustainable Entrepreneurial Intention of Youth with Higher Education Studies in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-22, October.
    18. Audronė Urmanavičienė & Eglė Butkevičienė, 2023. "The Role of Work Integration Social Enterprises in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case Study of Lithuania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-21, February.
    19. Andrea Ballatore & Teun Johannes Verhagen & Zhije Li & Stefano Cucurachi, 2022. "This city is not a bin: Crowdmapping the distribution of urban litter," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(1), pages 197-212, February.
    20. Nina Weitz & Henrik Carlsen & Therese Bennich & Måns Nilsson & Åsa Persson, 2023. "Returning to core principles to advance the 2030 Agenda," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(10), pages 1145-1148, October.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-39698-6. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.