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Society and Human Development · Mandate and publisher

Mandate and publisher

Society and Human Development is a specialist platform of The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation (GCRI) for societal resilience, inequality, health, population change and the human consequences of risks and innovation. This page sets out its mandate, who publishes it, the limits of its role and its current operating state. The platform is in development, and the current service level is R0: information and enquiries.

Make an enquiry Back to Society and Human Development
In this dossier6 parts
  1. 01In briefThe short answer
  2. 02MandateWhat the platform exists to do
  3. 03PublisherWho is responsible
  4. 04LimitsWhat the platform does not do
  5. 05Key termsTerms used on this page
  6. 06Operating stateIn development

GCRI · In development · service level R0

STEM methods
4
Canonical methods this field applies
Topics
10
Subject pages in the field
Counterparts
2
Platforms in shared fields at GCRI, GRF and GRA
Report series
2
Nexus Reports series it contributes to
01In brief

The short answer.

Society and Human Development is a specialist platform of The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation for society and human development as well as information and public trust. Its mandate covers societal resilience, inequality, health, population change and the human consequences of risks and innovation. GCRI publishes it, answers for its content and takes no decision on anyone's behalf. It is in development at service level R0, and activities open as each is ready.

02Canvas

Mandate to authority.

Canvas · mandate to authorityDesign, not a record
How Society and Human Development is governedA mandate sets the platform's scope; an editor and reviewers govern what it publishes; programmes and the community supply the work; the integrity route handles corrections; authority over decisions stays outside. Design of the governance, not a record.

Fig.How the platform is governed, from its mandate to the authorities who decide. Design, not a record.

03Geography

People and hazards in Latin America and the Caribbean.

For mandate and publisher, in GCRI's spatial-intelligence reading, the map opens on population density and true-colour imagery with true colour from NASA GIBS, framed on Latin America and the Caribbean; every other NASA layer, live feed and forecast waits in the layer list.

The interactive map needs JavaScript; the layer list and sources are below.

Layers 2

People and hazards, for this page

Latest available

NASA GIBS / EOSDIS · ASTER GDEM (METI, NASA) · Blue Marble (NASA) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Natural Earth

Loading the latest NASA imagery.

Drag to move. Ctrl or ⌘ and scroll, pinch or the buttons to zoom; hover for the values under the pointer; reset returns to the region.

For mandate and publisher, in GCRI's spatial-intelligence reading, the map opens on population density and true-colour imagery with true colour from NASA GIBS, framed on Latin America and the Caribbean; every other NASA layer, live feed and forecast waits in the layer list.Satellite and model products as NASA publishes them, each with its own date; indicators, not assessments of any place; claim ceiling INTEGRATED.

Data: NASA GIBS · ASTER GDEM · Blue Marble · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Natural Earth · Copernicus Sentinel-2 L2A · NASA HLS S30Sources and licences

  • We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University. 2018. Gridded Population of the World, Version 4 (GPWv4): Population Density, Revision 11. NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). CC BY 4.0
  • VIIRS near-real-time products (flood, land surface temperature, snow cover, corrected reflectance), NASA LANCE; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • VIIRS Black Marble night-time lights, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; distributed by the NASA Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System (LAADS DAAC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • MODIS land products (vegetation indices, gross primary production, land cover), NASA LP DAAC and LANCE; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • ASTER GDEM is a product of METI and NASA (ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model V003, NASA LP DAAC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • Made with Natural Earth. Free vector and raster map data @ naturalearthdata.com. Public domain
  • © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via NASA GIBS (coastlines, boundaries, roads and place names). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). ODbL
  • Blue Marble, NASA Earth Observatory; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • Context on the globe and flat map: coastlines, boundaries, roads and place names from NASA GIBS reference layers (OpenStreetMap data, ODbL, © OpenStreetMap contributors); Blue Marble imagery as an optional base; 3D terrain and the elevation read-out from the ASTER GDEM elevation colour index (5 m to 200 m classes, exaggerated for legibility). Boundaries are drawn as published and imply no position on any territory.
  • Globe: MapLibre GL JS 6.9.1, BSD-3-Clause, © MapLibre contributors.
  • Observed (EO): Copernicus Sentinel-2 L2A (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2026), Microsoft Planetary Computer
  • Observed (EO): NASA HLS S30 (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2026). We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS).
  • Optional layers (35 sources in the layer list: live, forecast, observed and context) print their provider credit on the map and here when switched on; forecasts are model output and derived indices are estimates.

Layers and dates

  • Population density, 2020: Population: CIESIN, Columbia University, Gridded Population of the World v4.11 (2018), NASA SEDAC, CC BY 4.0 · static
  • True colour: VIIRS NOAA-20 corrected reflectance, NASA LANCE · 13 Oct 2026
  • Night-time lights, daily: VIIRS Black Marble (VNP46A2), NASA LAADS DAAC · 12 Oct 2026
  • Land cover type (IGBP), yearly: MODIS Terra and Aqua land cover (MCD12Q1), NASA LP DAAC · 2024
  • Flood water, 3-day composite: VIIRS Global Flood Product, NASA LANCE · 14 Oct 2026
  • Land surface temperature, day, 8-day composite: VIIRS NOAA-20 Level 3, 8-day, NASA LANCE · 14 Sep 2026

04Mandate

What the platform exists to do.

The mandate is scientific: to produce rigorous, ethically grounded evidence on how risks reach people and how societies adapt. It exists as a dedicated platform because societal and demographic analysis is neither technical risk assessment nor financial inclusion alone.

Field

Scope

Society and human development, and information and public trust.

Community

Who takes part

Social scientists, humanitarian researchers, demographers and community advocates.

Outputs

What it is designed to publish

Human development profiles, social vulnerability briefs and community case studies.

The platform is organized around ten topics and three chapters, from poverty and inequality to inclusive research ethics, and it stewards social and behavioural science in the STEM Commons for the whole network.

05Publisher

Who is responsible.

GCRI publishes the platform and answers for its content. GCRI works across Canada and the United States.

  • Editorial responsibility: a platform editor and named subject reviewers, appointed as the platform opens.
  • Methods: socioeconomic indicators, vulnerability methods and mixed methods, each documented on methods and uncertainty.
  • Ethics: research involving people follows the principles set out in inclusive research ethics.
  • Corrections: reported and logged on corrections.
06Limits

What the platform does not do.

  • It does not regulate, certify, license or approve any person, programme or institution.
  • It does not deliver humanitarian assistance, determine refugee or migration status, or decide who receives social protection.
  • It does not publish information that could identify or endanger individuals or communities.
  • Taking part gives no authority, appointment or influence over findings, and sponsorship confers no editorial control.
07Key terms

Terms used on this page.

Each term as this page uses it. Where a standard-setting body defines the term, the wording follows that body.

TermDefinition
Service level R0The current service level of Nexus pages: information and enquiries only. An enquiry receives a reference and a named next step; it creates no membership, contract, assignment or commitment.
Conflict of interestA situation in which financial, professional or personal interests could compromise, or appear to compromise, judgement in research or review.
Human developmentThe process of enlarging people's freedoms and opportunities and improving their wellbeing, in UNDP usage.
Capability approachA view of development focused on what people are effectively able to do and be, associated with Amartya Sen.
08Operating state

In development.

The platform is in development at its canonical address, as a candidate for the second wave after evidence. Its page set and three chapters are built, and expert groups and case studies open as editors, ethical review and safeguarding are confirmed. Enquiries go to research@therisk.global; the acknowledgement gives a reference and names the next step.

09Questions

Questions and answers.

Is the platform a separate organization?
No. It is a specialist platform of GCRI, which publishes it.
Does the platform advocate for particular policies?
It publishes evidence with methods and uncertainty. Policy choices belong to governments and communities, and governance dialogue is convened by The Global Risks Forum (GRF).
Who can report a safeguarding concern?
Anyone. Write to safeguarding@therisk.global.
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