Remote sensing derived continental high resolution built-up and population geoinformation for crisis management

Detailed geoinformation on settlements are required for disaster risk analysis and crisis management, yet are only readily available for specific areas, varying widely in quality and characteristics. Remote sensing can contribute to fill this gap. The Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) project provides detailed data on the distribution and densities of built-up for continent-wide expanses, in a consistent way. This paper illustrates the application of GHSL-derived geoinformation in the assessment of physical and human exposure to floods at the local level. Results show that GHSL refines on existing information and contributes to improve analyses of exposure and risk of natural disasters.