Discover how OpenStreetMap powers global disaster relief and humanitarian efforts—saving lives through maps made by people like you.
When disaster strikes—be it a flood, earthquake, or conflict zone—response teams need accurate, up-to-date maps to reach those in need. OpenStreetMap, with its open data and global community, fills critical mapping gaps in real time. Powered by volunteers and supported by humanitarian organizations, OSM enables aid agencies to navigate chaos with clarity.
An investigative article (ExposingTheInvisible) interviews OSM founder Mikel Maron about the Logging Roads project. Volunteers mapped 30,532 logging roads in the Congo Basin using satellite imagery.
The Map4Mangrove project. Led by HOT in partnership with local organizations, the project used OpenStreetMap (OSM) as the primary mapping platform to collect and update geospatial data on mangrove rehabilitation sites. Community members, students, and volunteers contributed by mapping coastlines, mangrove areas, waterways, and related infrastructure into OSM.
In the Philippines, volunteers mapped Butuan City in OSM to create a detailed basemap that mobile teams used to survey vulnerable businesses ahead of floods, enabling pre-positioning of support. OSM data was also used in Uganda to overlay flood extent with infrastructure and settlement maps for impact forecasting. HOT supports local data maintenance and connects response actors to OSM communities.
OpenStreetMap (OSM) was used as a core data source to extract the pedestrian network of Heidelberg, Germany. OSM road and sidewalk data were combined with high-resolution building and vegetation models to calculate solar exposure across the city’s walking paths. The study developed shade-optimized routing that directs pedestrians along routes with less sun exposure, reducing heat stress.
OpenStreetMap (OSM) fill critical geospatial data gaps in conflict-affected Sudan. With limited official infrastructure maps, OSM provides base data for exposure and vulnerability analysis of populations affected by climate hazards. OSM’s crowd-sourced maps are positioned as key tools to identify high-risk areas, improve early action planning, and inform humanitarian decision-making.
You don't need a cape or a degree to save lives—just a mouse and a little heart .❤️
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