The socioeconomic level classifies areas into 5 wealth levels based on the estimated spatial distribution of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The indicator integrates sub-national economic data with spatial proxies to produce a granular estimate of economic wellbeing at local scale, useful for contextualising biodiversity patterns and anthropic pressures linked to economic activities.
High-income areas tend to be associated with greater resource consumption, soil sealing, and urban pressures, but also with better environmental policies and planned green spaces. The indicator is not inverted: it allows contextualisation of the relationship between economic development and biodiversity.
The calculation is based on the disaggregation of sub-national regional GDP (GlobalDataLab SHDI) to local scale using 4 spatial proxies combined with differentiated weights:
| Proxy | Weight | Source |
|---|---|---|
| GHSL BUSF (built-up surfaces) | 30% | WRD_GHBLT_23 |
| GHSL PD (population density) | 30% | WRD_GHPOP_23 |
| VIIRS Light Pollution (night-time lights) | 30% | WRD_VRDNB_99 |
| OSM commercial POIs | 10% | WRD_OSMXX_99 |
Proxies are combined, normalised and scaled using a power transformation (factor 0.75) to reduce the influence of extreme values. The final classification into 5 levels is based on population-weighted percentiles:
| Level | Percentile | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Very Low | Bottom 15% | |
| Low | 15% – 40% | |
| Medium | 40% – 70% | |
| High | 70% – 90% | |
| Very High | Top 10% |
| Code | Name | Provider | Resolution | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
WRD_GDLAB_23 | GlobalDataLab SHDI | GlobalDataLab | sub-national | 2023 |
WRD_GHBLT_23 | GHSL Built-Up Surface | JRC | 100 m | 2023 |
WRD_GHPOP_23 | GHSL Population Density | JRC | 100 m | 2023 |
WRD_VRDNB_99 | VIIRS Day/Night Band | NOAA | 500 m | continuous |
WRD_OSMXX_99 | OpenStreetMap POI | OSM Contributors | variable | continuous |
| Indicator | Unit | Range | Inverted |
|---|---|---|---|
socioeconomic | — | [0, 1.3, 2.3, 3.3, 4.3, 5] | No |
Not inverted: higher values indicate a higher socioeconomic level.
| Level | Range | Percentile | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| E (Very Low) | 0 – 1.3 | Bottom 15% | Low-income area; limited resources |
| D (Low) | 1.3 – 2.3 | 15% – 40% | Below-average income |
| C (Medium) | 2.3 – 3.3 | 40% – 70% | Average income |
| B (High) | 3.3 – 4.3 | 70% – 90% | Above-average income |
| A (Very High) | 4.3 – 5 | Top 10% | High-income area |
socioeconomic
Disaggregation of sub-national regional GDP (GlobalDataLab SHDI) to local scale using 4 spatial proxies: GHSL BUSF (30%), GHSL PD (30%), VIIRS Night Lights (30%), OSM commercial POIs (10%). Proxies combined, normalised and scaled with power transformation (factor 0.75). Classification into 5 levels by population-weighted percentiles: Very Low (bottom 15%), Low (15–40%), Medium (40–70%), High (70–90%), Very High (top 10%).