GES Faculty Publication: Responsible Use of Global Remote-Sensing Data

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:45:38 -0500
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We are excited to share a recent publication by Dr. Matthew E. Fagan, Professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Systems at UMBC, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

In "The responsible use of global remote-sensing datasets," Dr. Fagan and co-authors Naomi B. Schwartz and Ruth S. DeFries examine how global remote-sensing data are increasingly used to analyze Earth's systems at unprecedented scales. The article highlights both the power and the limitations of these datasets, emphasizing the importance of transparency, uncertainty awareness, and appropriate application in scientific research and decision making.

The authors outline three key considerations for responsible use of global datasets:

What we map, including blind spots and sociocultural biases in data coverage

How we map, focusing on model uncertainty and transferability across regions

Where we make inferences, particularly the risks of drawing fine-scale conclusions from coarse-resolution data

This work calls for stronger best practices, improved metadata, and clearer communication of uncertainties to ensure global datasets are used responsibly and equitably.

Read the full article: The responsible use of global remote-sensing datasets