13. Ecosystem Services from Space as Evaluation Metric of Human Well-Being in Deprived Urban Areas of the Majority World

This chapter presents a concise synthesis of recent research efforts, emphasizing the combined use of ecosystem services and landscape metric concepts for quantifying provision, quality, and accessibility to ecosystem services as indicators of socio-ecological well-being in deprived urban areas in the Majority World. Such analyses are challenging due to the common lack of official and reliable data related to socioeconomic, demographic, ecological, and land use/land cover variables. The recommended analytical steps leverage freely available earth observation products with global coverage, requiring no proprietary software and enabling barrier-free application. Integration of readily available data sets is possible during image classification, post-processing, and ensuing spatio-ecological evaluation. The study highlights the importance of differentiating between ecosystem functions and services and separating land use from land cover to ensure accurate attributions. Additionally, incorporating spatial and temporal aspects, as well as considering beneficiaries, is essential for assessing ecosystem services. Local stakeholder and community interactions are advised to gain a comprehensive understanding of the local context. Future research should explore challenges associated with sustainable management of ecosystem service provision areas in densely populated informal settlements. This includes prioritizing specific services, developing tailored valuation approaches, and quantifying the influences of landscape configuration and composition. Addressing discrepancies between actual and intended land use remains critical for advancing the understanding of ecosystem services in urban environments. This approach underscores the importance of leveraging remote sensing data and fostering local stakeholder engagement for effective ecosystem service management in deprived urban areas.