News — 10 November, 2024

Training Local Governments in the Use of Collaborative Mapping: HOT - OGP Local Partnership

The "Open Resilient Cities" project trained six governments in open data and geographic tools, promoting resilient and collaborative solutions to urban and climate challenges.

Versión en español / Versão em português

In the current context of public administration, the efficient and equitable management of territory is a priority. The lack of local data for action is a constant challenge, making the use of digital tools and citizen collaboration essential for local governments to have better inputs for implementing quality public policies.

Recognizing this situation, the Latin America and the Caribbean Hub of the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) and the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Local, in collaboration with CoMapper, launched a call in February 2024 inviting local governments from the OGP Local network to participate in the “Open Resilient Cities: Government Training Program for Using Collaborative Data in Local Mapping.”

The program aimed to raise awareness and strengthen the capacities of administrative teams managing open data and geographic information within their localities. From all the proposals received, the following local governments were selected for collaboration:

• Brazil: Secretaria de Estado do Planejamento de Santa Catarina

• Chile: Municipality of Maipú

• Ecuador: Metropolitan District of Quito Municipal Government

• Ecuador: Decentralized Autonomous Government of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas Province

• Mexico: Municipal Government of Chihuahua

• Mexico: State Government of Quintana Roo

“We need more collaborative, innovative, open, and resilient governments. This collaboration was designed to build capacities so that governments, together with civil society, can collect the necessary evidence to create better approaches and increasingly responsive public policies,” emphasized Clorinda Romo, OGP Local Program Officer.

After diagnosing issues and needs, participants were trained in tools such as OpenStreetMap’s iD Editor, KoboToolbox, Mapillary, and QGIS. This enabled them to identify the most suitable methodologies and tools for their projects. Once selected, the implementation phase began, followed by the generation of results. This process took place from March to August 2024.

Below is a summary of each project and the actions undertaken in each case.

Brazil: Secretaria de Estado do Planejamento de Santa Catarina

The goal was to develop an integrated system for collecting, systematizing, and georeferencing socio-economic data from households to provide relevant and accessible information for municipal and state management, facilitating the formulation of public policies aimed at improving the living and health conditions of families in the municipality of Santa Catarina.

Using KoboToolbox for surveys, QGIS to generate maps and spatial analysis, and OpenStreetMap to download, validate, and visually analyze data, socio-economic and health data were initially collected from 209 individuals across 92 households in Micro Area #5 of the Municipality of Painel as a pilot project. The plan is to extend this coverage throughout the state. This information will support the preparation of other analyses related to health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, etc., and enable service planning.

Image: Collection of socio-economic information using open mapping tools.

Chile: Municipality of Maipú

A detailed survey of green spaces in the Sol Poniente neighborhood of Maipú was needed to improve their quality and analyze their effects on potential heat islands, a necessary step toward designing and implementing effective and equitable adaptation measures for the rest of the city in the future.

Using KoboToolbox, data collection was conducted with citizen participation and local knowledge via a call for neighborhood social leaders. The resulting data—71 polygons corresponding to Public Open Spaces—was incorporated into the OpenStreetMap platform. Additionally, 12 plazas in the area were visually recorded using Mapillary.

Francisco Medina, Head of the Planning and Development Unit of the Municipality of Maipú, noted that the collected geographic data will be cross-referenced with information on heat islands. This analysis will help identify priority areas for designing and implementing urban regeneration projects to facilitate adaptation to climate change, particularly in response to heat waves.

Image: EPA map for pilot test.

Ecuador: Metropolitan District of Quito Municipal Government

The objective was to identify perceived natural risks within the Metropolitan District to develop awareness and preparedness initiatives that strengthen community resilience to adverse events.

Using KoboToolbox, 1,190 responses were collected, and the study area was mapped on OpenStreetMap to generate and download geospatial information. GIS software was used to create an open-source dashboard with the collected responses and a Risk Perception Map visualizing areas with higher and lower perceived risks in Quito.

As a result of the project, the Risk Management Directorate of the Secretariat of Security has begun using KoboToolbox to collect risk perception data across the entire municipality and territory of Quito. The team is currently in the field gathering responses, applying this mini-project that initially began as a pilot during the workshop.

Image: Risk perception map.

Ecuador: Decentralized Autonomous Government of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas Province

The goal was to collect geospatial data on infrastructure projects executed by the Decentralized Autonomous Government of Santo Domingo in the rural parish of Valle Hermoso to improve the planning, evaluation, and tracking of local projects.

Data was collected using Mapillary and KoboToolbox and subsequently integrated into OpenStreetMap. QGIS was used to create a road map representing existing and planned roads, bridges, and drainage systems to be integrated into the Official Road Network. Additionally, a web map was designed using the UMap platform, where the same data layers were published.

The local government aims to regulate the use of geospatial tools and expand their application across all departments. Although only the Planning Directorate participated in the course, the plan is to share this knowledge with other areas to strengthen tourism, production, and technical projects. Regulation will be led by the Planning Directorate with specialized legal and technical support.

Image: Road Network Map, Valle Hermoso.

Mexico: Municipal Government of Chihuahua

Detailed information on the conditions of public lighting was needed to prioritize and optimize streetlight management in the Historic Center.

Using Mapillary, images were collected and analyzed with the platform’s AI to automatically detect streetlights, generating a data layer on public lighting locations in the Historic Center. This data was integrated into the Municipal Geographic Information System (GIS), enabling authorities and citizens to visualize infrastructure distribution for decision-making and policy planning. This also improves efficiency, transparency, and participation in public management.

The project has sparked interest among various municipal government departments in developing mapping initiatives. For example, the Urban Maintenance Directorate plans to map and inventory trees in major public parks using Organic Maps and OpenStreetMap. Additionally, the Treasury Inspection Department plans to equip a vehicle with a camera to map the city and gather updated images to integrate into the GIS platform via a widget.

Image: Photographic survey and streetlights in the study area.

Mexico: State Government of Quintana Roo

As a state highly vulnerable to hurricanes and disasters, Quintana Roo required comprehensive geospatial data on temporary shelters in coordination with the Geographic and Cadastral Institute of Quintana Roo (IGECE).

The decision was driven by the need to accurately locate shelters that provide protection, food, and safety during emergencies or disasters, especially during hurricane season. Data was collected using MapRoulette with volunteer support and KoboToolbox. As a result, a precise and detailed data layer was created, along with a geographic viewer displaying 184 previously identified shelters.

These tools will be a key internal resource for the institute.

Image: Geographic viewer with shelter data for Southeast Mexico, as of July 4, 2024.

Final Reflections

We are at a critical juncture for our cities, facing challenges that require agile, proactive, and inclusive solutions. “Today more than ever, the democratization of information and access to open data are fundamental to building resilient cities capable of responding to emergencies, planning for the future, and improving the quality of life for their residents,” highlights Cuauhtémoc Gutiérrez, Director of CoMapper. Explore more about their work here.

Fabrizio Scrollini, Director of the LAC Hub, adds: “Local governments have made notable and genuine efforts to use open geographic data and available tools. This demonstrates their commitment to exploring and integrating open data logic with citizen participation, utilizing this information to build more resilient cities capable of addressing climate change and deep structural inequalities. Data and information are only the first step; having committed public servants and appropriate tools is fundamental.”

Resilience is a central theme in our agenda, adapting to each local context. The “Open Resilient Cities: Government Training Program for Using Collaborative Data in Local Mapping” has fostered inter-institutional collaboration among local initiatives, government entities, citizens, volunteers, and a community of mappers aware of the importance of open and accessible data. We invite more governments to explore these technologies, take inspiration from this initiative, and continue advancing open data and technologies to build a more resilient future.