Unveiling global humanscapes: harmonised subnational socio-economic datasets for understanding societal changes and enhancing risk assessments

One of the bottlenecks in global risk assessment studies is the lack of global sub-national socio-economic datasets spanning the past decades. To bridge this gap, we have compiled 12 global sub-national socio-economic datasets covering cultural diversity, economic conditions, demographics, equity, governance, health, and social well-being. These datasets form a harmonised global socio-economic data cube with annual data for 1990-2021. The data is with either a gridded or sub-national level resolution, except for political stability, which is available only at the national level.

We further introduce 'humanscapes,' a novel concept designed to capture complex socio-economic realities at a sub-national level. Humanscapes reflect the interplay of these different datasets, covering over 28,000 administrative units, and are analysed using self-organising maps (SOM) to highlight unique sub-national characteristics. Humanscapes offer a refined method for understanding and mapping societal changes.

Our socio-economic data cube enhances precision in global and continental risk assessments by providing comprehensive socio-economic contexts previously unavailable. It thus opens new possibilities in assessing vulnerability to natural hazards on a global scale, aligning with frameworks like the Sendai Framework and the Paris Agreement.