CA-ESRI
Governments and businesses across the world are pledging to adopt more sustainable and equitable practices. Many are also working to limit activities that contribute to climate change. To support these efforts, Esri , the global leader in location intelligence, in partnership with Impact Observatory and Microsoft, is releasing a globally consistent 2017–2021 global land-use and land-cover map of the world based on the most up-to-date 10-meter Sentinel-2 satellite data. In addition to the new 2021 data, 10-meter land-use and land-cover data for 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 is included, illustrating five years of change across the planet.
This digital rendering of earth's surfaces offers detailed information and insights about how land is being used. The map is available online to more than 10 million users of geographic information system (GIS) software through Esri's ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World , the foremost collection of geographic information and services, including maps and apps.
"Accurate, timely, and accessible maps are critical for understanding the rapidly changing world, especially as the effects of climate change accelerate globally," said Jack Dangermond, Esri founder and president. "Planners worldwide can use this map to better understand complex challenges and take a geographic approach to decisions about food security, sustainable land use, surface water, and resource management."
Esri released a 2020 global land-cover map last year as well as a high-resolution 2050 global land-cover map , showing how earth's land surfaces might look 30 years from now. With the planned annual releases, users will have the option to make year-to-year comparisons for detecting change in vegetation and crops, forest extents, bare surfaces, and urban areas.
These maps also provide insights about locations with distinctive land use/land cover, as well as human activity affecting them. National government resource agencies use land-use/land-cover data as a basis for understanding trends in natural capital, which helps define land-planning priorities and determine budget allocations.
Esri's map layers were developed with imagery from the European Space Agency (ESA) Sentinel-2 satellite, with machine learning workflows by Esri Silver partner Impact Observatory and incredible compute resources from longtime partner Microsoft. The Sentinel-2 satellite carries a range of technologies including radar and multispectral imaging instruments for land, ocean, and atmospheres, enabling it to monitor vegetation, soil and water cover, inland waterways, and coastal areas.
"World leaders need to set and achieve ambitious targets for sustainable development and environmental restoration," said Steve Brumby, Impact Observatory cofounder and CEO. "Impact Observatory [and] our partners Esri and Microsoft are once again first to deliver an annual set of global maps at unprecedented scale and speed. These maps of changing land use and land cover provide leaders in governments, industry, and finance with a new AI [artificial intelligence]-powered capability for timely, actionable geospatial insights on demand."
Esri and Microsoft have released this 10-meter-resolution time-series map under a Creative Commons license to encourage broad adoption and ensure equitable access for planners working to create a more sustainable planet. Users can manipulate the map layers and other data layers with GIS software to create more dynamic visualizations.
In addition to being freely available in ArcGIS Online as a map service, these resources are also available for download and viewing. To explore the new 2021 global land-use/land-cover map, visit livingatlas.arcgis.com/landcover .
About Impact Observatory
Impact Observatory develops AI-powered, on-demand, geospatial data that maps changing land use and land cover at unprecedented scale and speed. Impact Observatory provides world leaders in governments, industry, and finance with timely, actionable, data-driven insights for sustainability and environmental risk analysis. Impact Observatory is a U.S. technology company based in Washington, D.C.
About Esri
Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in more than 350,000 organizations globally and in over 200,000 institutions in the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofits, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial information technology, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions for digital transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics. Visit us at esri.com .
Copyright © 2022 Esri. All rights reserved. Esri, the Esri globe logo, ArcGIS, The Science of Where, esri.com, and @esri.com are trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of Esri in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products or services mentioned herein may be trademarks, service marks, or registered marks of their respective mark owners.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220310005316/en/
Link:
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
ClickUp 4.0's Craft & Quality is Available Today, Maximizing Human Productivity10.12.2025 19:26:00 CET | Press release
Hand-crafted to deliver the most polished, powerful ClickUp experience ever created ClickUp today announced the launch of ClickUp 4.0, a groundbreaking release designed to end the chaos of work sprawl and usher in a new era of work. With a bold vision for the convergence of software, people, and AI, ClickUp 4.0 delivers a suite of powerful new features that empower teams to do their best work in one converged workspace. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251210712132/en/ A new era of ClickUp For years, organizations have struggled with fragmented workflows, siloed tools, and the constant friction of context switching. ClickUp 4.0 is the answer: a single, beautifully crafted workspace that brings together tasks, docs, goals, chat, and AI-powered automation. The result is a platform that not only saves time but also sparks creativity and collaboration at every level. “Software is converging - we always knew it woul
United First Partners Serves as Introducing Broker on Mayflower IPO, a UK Listed Acquisition Vehicle and Among the Largest Primary New Issues in London in 2025, Highlighting UFP’s Increasing Presence Across ECM10.12.2025 18:42:00 CET | Press release
United First Partners (“UFP”) is pleased to announce its role as Introducing Broker on Mayflower Acquisition Limited (“Mayflower”), which completed its IPO today, raising USD 500 million. The size of the capital raised places Mayflower among the largest London acquisition vehicles of recent years. The offering represents an important development for UFP’s expanding capital markets platform and reflects the firm’s increasing activity within Equity Capital Markets (ECM). About Mayflower Acquisition Limited Mayflower is a UK Listed Acquisition Vehicle, sponsored by TOMS Capital and JRJ Group, incorporated to unlock exits across a closely-held company universe, including long-held private equity assets and large family-owned businesses. Mayflower’s structure provides guaranteed capital to asset owners, offering a flexible liquidity solution and higher potential for transaction success, and highly aligned economics to investors, with a significant Sponsor commitment of USD 75m. Mayflower wa
Abu Dhabi Launches FIDA Cluster to Shape the Next Generation of Financial and Investment Solutions10.12.2025 18:21:00 CET | Press release
Abu Dhabi has launched the FinTech, Insurance, Digital and Alternative Assets (FIDA) cluster to accelerate the development of next-generation financial and investment solutions and expand the emirate’s role as a global capital hub. Spearheaded by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), the cluster is a core pillar of Abu Dhabi’s long-term economic diversification agenda. By 2045, FIDA is projected to contribute an additional USD 15.2 billion to Abu Dhabi’s direct GDP, generate 8,000 skilled jobs and attract at least USD 4.6 billion in investment, cementing the emirate’s position as a destination for innovative and resilient financial systems. FIDA brings together high-growth areas where technology, regulation and capital intersect, including fintech, digital assets, insurance, reinsurance and alternative investments. It aims to position Abu Dhabi as a preferred jurisdiction for global firms seeking to design, test and scale n
Xsolla Celebrates a Week of Industry Programming at The Game Awards With a New Brand Launch, Day of the Devs Participation, and GamesBeat Hollywood & Games 2025 Partnership10.12.2025 18:00:00 CET | Press release
Coordinated Initiatives Highlight Xsolla’s Commitment to Building All The Things to Support Global Game Commerce and Creative Innovation for the Video Game Industry Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company that helps developers launch, grow, and monetize their games, today announced a unified lineup of programming during The Game Awards week in Los Angeles. Together, these initiatives showcase Xsolla’s commitment to bringing the community and ecosystem together to support creators, strengthen the relationship between games and their players, and enable games to reach more markets around the world. The week of activities includes its partnership with GamesBeat Hollywood & Games 2025, a featured role during Day of the Devs: The Game Awards Digital Showcase, Games for Love’s The Game Gala, and the unveiling of Xsolla’s refreshed brand identity. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251210688609/en/ Berkley
Hanseo University Expands Aviation Training Program with New Frasca Flight Training Device10.12.2025 16:05:00 CET | Press release
The new device marks the latest milestone in a long-standing collaboration between Hanseo University and Frasca International, Inc. Frasca International, Inc., a FlightSafety International company and leader in flight simulation, today announced that Hanseo University in South Korea is expanding its aviation program with a new Level 5 Cessna 172 Flight Training Device (FTD), the seventh Frasca device to join the university’s fleet. Hanseo University’s school of Aeronautical Science recognized by the Korean University Accreditation Institute as the nation’s first Specialized University for Training Professional Workforce Industries, continues to expand its state-of-the-art simulation capabilities with the acquisition of a Level 5 Cessna 172 FTD. The addition builds on a partnership with Frasca that has spanned more than two decades and further advances aviation education across Asia. “We were seeking simulators that provided both realism and reliability, and Frasca stood out immediately
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom