NEWS
The 13th ISDE International Lectures, themed "Advances on the Global Human Settlement Layer by joint assessment of Earth Observation and Population Survey Data," took place on 11th November 2024. Three co-authors of the paper under the same title presented various perspectives on the Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL), and shared their latest research findings from this collaborative academic endeavor. The topics discussed included the theoretical framework, EO-derived information, spatial population distributions, and GHSL quality assessment.
Dr. Martino Pesaresi, who works at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), delivered a presentation titled "Theoretical methodological frame and EO-derived information in the GHSL." He provided a brief introduction to the theoretical and methodological foundation of the GHSL project and demonstrated how Earth Observation data is used to identify and analyze human settlements within this framework.
Dr. Marcello Schiavina, a consultant with European Commission DG Regional and Urban Policy, presented a lecture entitled "The spatial distribution of the resident population and the ‘Degree of Urbanisation’ in the GHSL R2023". He introduced the concept of population grids and explained the methods used to generate them within the GHSL framework. He also showcased the application of the degree of urbanisation methodology in analyzing global human settlement characteristics.
Dr. Johannes H. Uhl, a Geographic Information Scientist at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, delivered a presentation titled "Evaluating the quality of the Global Human Settlement Layer R2023A". He discussed the quality evaluation methods for the GHSL R2023A data ecosystem, using multiple independent reference datasets. The presentation also analyzed the accuracy and stability of GHSL data, sparking the audience’s interest in the more comprehensive research detailed in their paper.
The 13th ISDE International Lectures was moderated by Dr. Thomas Kemper who leads the GHSL project at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. Over 7,560 participants from around the world attended the 13th Lectures through Zoom, ISDE Bilibili platform, and other academic streaming platforms.
The lectures provided just a glimpse into the extensive research detailed in the co-authored paper by the three speakers, which was published in the International Journal of Digital Earth in August 2024. For more comprehensive insights, please refer to the following publication:
Pesaresi, Martino, Marcello Schiavina, Panagiotis Politis, Sergio Freire, Katarzyna Krasnodębska, Johannes H. Uhl, Alessandra Carioli, et al. 2024. “Advances on the Global Human Settlement Layer by joint assessment of Earth Observation and population survey data.” International Journal of Digital Earth 17 (1). doi:10.1080/17538947.2024.2390454.
The ISDE International Lectures are organized by the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE) and supported by the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS). It is a series of online events which feature invited lectures by well-known international experts in the field of Digital Earth. The event will invite speakers to give lectures every two months. The purpose of the events is to bring international scholars in the relevant research fields of Digital Earth together to exchange academic perspectives, share research results, and disseminate the most cutting-edge and authoritative concept of Digital Earth.
