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Multi-Scale Estimation of Land Use Efficiency (SDG 11.3.1) across 25 Years Using Global Open and Free Data

Author

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  • Marcello Schiavina

    (European Commission-Joint Research Centre, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy)

  • Michele Melchiorri

    (Engineering S.p.a, Piazzale dell’Agricoltura 24, 00144 Roma, Italy; michele.melchiorri@eng.it)

  • Christina Corbane

    (European Commission-Joint Research Centre, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy)

  • Aneta J. Florczyk

    (European Commission-Joint Research Centre, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy)

  • Sergio Freire

    (European Commission-Joint Research Centre, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy)

  • Martino Pesaresi

    (European Commission-Joint Research Centre, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy)

  • Thomas Kemper

    (European Commission-Joint Research Centre, Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, Italy)

Abstract

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 aspires to “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”, and the introduction of an explicit urban goal testifies to the importance of urbanisation. The understanding of the process of urbanisation and the capacity to monitor the SDGs require a wealth of open, reliable, locally yet globally comparable data, and a fully-fledged data revolution. In this framework, the European Commission–Joint Research Centre has developed a suite of (open and free) data and tools named Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) which maps the human presence on Earth (built-up areas, population distribution and settlement typologies) between 1975 and 2015. The GHSL supplies information on the progressive expansion of built-up areas on Earth and population dynamics in human settlements, with both sources of information serving as baseline data to quantify land use efficiency (LUE), listed as a Tier II indicator for SDG 11 (11.3.1). In this paper, we present the profile of the LUE across several territorial scales between 1990 and 2015, highlighting diverse development trajectories and the land take efficiency of different human settlements. Our results show that (i) the GHSL framework allows us to estimate LUE for the entire planet at several territorial scales, opening the opportunity of lifting the LUE indicator from its Tier II classification; (ii) the current formulation of the LUE is substantially subject to path dependency; and (iii) it requires additional spatially-explicit metrics for its interpretation. We propose the Achieved Population Density in Expansion Areas and the Marginal Land Consumption per New Inhabitant metrics for this purpose. The study is planetary and multi-temporal in coverage, demonstrating the value of well-designed, open and free, fine-scale geospatial information on human settlements in supporting policy and monitoring progress made towards meeting the SDGs.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcello Schiavina & Michele Melchiorri & Christina Corbane & Aneta J. Florczyk & Sergio Freire & Martino Pesaresi & Thomas Kemper, 2019. "Multi-Scale Estimation of Land Use Efficiency (SDG 11.3.1) across 25 Years Using Global Open and Free Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-25, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:20:p:5674-:d:276419
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    Cited by:

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    2. Koroso, Nesru H., 2023. "Urban land policy and urban land use efficiency: An analysis based on remote sensing and institutional credibility thesis," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    3. Bielecka Elżbieta & Calka Beata, 2022. "Towards sustainable development exemplified by monitoring land use efficiency in Europe using SDG 11.3.1," Miscellanea Geographica. Regional Studies on Development, Sciendo, vol. 26(4), pages 208-214, October.
    4. Yunchen Wang & Boyan Li, 2022. "The Spatial Disparities of Land-Use Efficiency in Mainland China from 2000 to 2015," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-20, August.
    5. Elisabeth Marquard & Stephan Bartke & Judith Gifreu i Font & Alois Humer & Arend Jonkman & Evelin Jürgenson & Naja Marot & Lien Poelmans & Blaž Repe & Robert Rybski & Christoph Schröter-Schlaack & Jar, 2020. "Land Consumption and Land Take: Enhancing Conceptual Clarity for Evaluating Spatial Governance in the EU Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-21, October.
    6. Ziyan Ling & Weiguo Jiang & Yuan Lu & Yurong Ling & Ze Zhang & Chaoming Liao, 2023. "Continuous Long Time Series Monitoring of Urban Construction Land in Supporting the SDG 11.3.1—A Case Study of Nanning, Guangxi, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-18, February.
    7. Romano, Bernardino & Zullo, Francesco & Saganeiti, Lucia & Montaldi, Cristina, 2023. "Evaluation of cut-off values in the control of land take in Italy towards the SDGs 2030," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    8. Kukulska-Kozieł, Anita, 2023. "Buildable land overzoning. Have new planning regulations in Poland resolved the issue?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    9. Cascade Tuholske & Andrea E. Gaughan & Alessandro Sorichetta & Alex de Sherbinin & Agathe Bucherie & Carolynne Hultquist & Forrest Stevens & Andrew Kruczkiewicz & Charles Huyck & Greg Yetman, 2021. "Implications for Tracking SDG Indicator Metrics with Gridded Population Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-21, June.

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