Open Mapping for the SDGs: A practical guide to launching and growing open mapping initiatives


This guide provides a brief set of resources to help national bureaus of statistics, national mapping agencies, line ministries, and non-government partners foster the growth of participatory mapping in their countries and develop national roadmaps. Co-authored by GFDRR, it builds on work from Open Cities, Open Government Partnership, Citizen Science initiatives in the White House, the United States Department of State, MapGive, and Missing Maps.

Crowdsourced geospatial data, particularly in OpenStreetMap, is helping fill data gaps at the micro level and providing insight into SDG progress on a more real-time basis than is possible through annual/bi-annual surveys or censuses. Empowering communities to geo-locate key community assets and vulnerabilities helps decision-makers gauge coverage, gaps, and risks at the ultra-local level. Part IV of the guide maps SDGs and indicators to specific open mapping projects.