Skip to main content

Utility

  • Admissions
  • Exploring Grad School
  • Current Students
  • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • Faculty + Staff
  • Alumni
Give
COVID-19 UPDATES
Report Sexual Misconduct
Home

Main navigation

Search is currently disabled
  • Academics
    • Master of Science
    • Master of Landscape Architecture
    • Doctoral (PhD)
    • Dual-Degree Programs
    • Graduate Certificate Programs
    • Undergraduate Program
    • Courses
  • Research + Impact
    • Sustainability Themes
    • PhD Profiles
    • Student Research
    • The Centers, Institutes + Initiatives
    • Faculty Profiles
    • Labs
  • Admissions
    • Exploring Graduate School
    • Why Michigan?
    • How to Apply
    • Funding
    • Online Games
    • Visit Campus
    • International Students
    • For Admitted Students
    • Admissions FAQs
    • Rackham Graduate School Resources
  • Student Services
    • SEAS Student Center
    • Career Services
    • Financial Aid
    • Academic Advising
    • Student Organizations
    • Student Development
    • Forms, Handbooks + Policies
    • Quick Links
  • News
    • Community Highlights
    • In the Media
    • Stewards Magazine
  • Events
    • Co-Sponsorship Form
    • Submit Event
    • Admissions Webinars
    • Gallery
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Leadership
    • Demographics
    • Faculty Profiles
    • Administrative Departments + Staff
    • Facilities + Locations
    • Diversity, Equity + Inclusion
    • Art & Environment Gallery
    • Land Acknowledgement
    • History

Utility

  • Admissions
  • Exploring Grad School
  • Current Students
  • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • Faculty + Staff
  • Alumni
Give
COVID-19 UPDATES
Report Sexual Misconduct
search icon Search
  • Academics
  • Research + Impact
  • Admissions
  • Student Services
  • News
    • Community Highlights
    • In the Media
    • Stewards Magazine
  • Events
  • About

Main navigation

  • Academics
  • Research + Impact
  • Admissions
  • Student Services
  • News
    • Community Highlights
    • In the Media
    • Stewards Magazine
  • Events
  • About

A machine-learning approach to human footprint index estimation with applications to sustainable development

April 12, 2021

The human footprint index (HFI) is an extensively used tool for interpreting the accelerating pressure of humanity on Earth. Up to now, the process of creating the HFI has required significant data and modeling, and updated versions of the index often lag the present day by many years. Here we introduce a near-present, global-scale machine learning-based HFI (ml-HFI) which is capable of routine update using satellite imagery alone. We present the most up-to-date map of the HFI, and document changes in human pressure during the past 20 years (2000–2019). Moreover, we demonstrate its utility as a monitoring tool for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15 (SDG15), "Life on Land," which aims to foster sustainable development while conserving biodiversity. We identify 43 countries that are making progress toward SDG15 while also experiencing increases in their ml-HFI. We examine a subset of these in the context of conservation policies that may or may not enable continued progress toward SDG15. This has immediate policy relevance, since the majority of countries globally are not on track to achieve Goal 15 by the declared deadline of 2030.

Faculty
Neil Carter
Link to paper
Environmental Research Letters
seas logo
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability
Dana Building
440 Church Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
(734) 764-6453
Email us
facebook
twitter
instagram
linkedin
youtube
flickr
planet blue global impact logo

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Intranet
  • Contact Web Team

© 2023 The Regents of the University of Michigan | Privacy Policy | Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Produced by Michigan Creative