EnviroAtlas EO-based Indicators for SDG Reporting at National and Subnational Extents

Existing geospatial platforms can provide Earth Observation (EO) based indicators for assessing and monitoring Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency and partners, EnviroAtlas is an example geospatial platform offering a collection of environmental and socio-economic data that can be applicable to SDG targets. EnviroAtlas maps ecosystem services (ES) indicators at national and community extents using 30-meter and 1-meter land cover products. Land cover data are combined with socio-economic and other geospatial data to produce environmental and integrated indicators currently summarized to standard units such as subwatersheds, census tracts, and census block groups. A crosswalk between SDG targets and EnviroAtlas indicators resulted in over 400 matches. The methods for creation of many of the EnviroAtlas indicators, contributing to SDGs 1-4 and 6-15, may be transferable to other nations for global, national or subnational SDG reporting. The majority of EnviroAtlas indicators based on EO are pertinent to SDG 6 for clean water, SDG 11 for sustainable cities and communities, and SDG 15 for life on land. EnviroAtlas indicators can help fill gaps in spatial, environmental, and integrated indicators for SDG reporting efforts at multiple levels.

This abstract has been reviewed and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Agency.