Mapping for a Sustainable World – Beware of Defaults and Pitfalls

The International Cartographic Association and the United Nations recently published the book映射可持续世界。目标是告知那些有兴趣可视化SDG指标数据关于制图设计的最佳实践和避免陷阱。

由于您毫无疑问，SDGS涉及社会，经济和环境挑战，并旨在刺激行动。为了在2030年，政府和人民达到SDG，需要了解挑战并监测他们的进展。

本书的报价解释了如何支持这一点：“精心设计的地图和图表支持这一过程，因为它们有效地说明了全球人口增长，社会经济障碍和气候变化等时空模式。地图降低了复杂性，并揭示了可能否切注意的空间模式。因此，他们帮助我们更好地了解人类及其环境之间的关系，并使我们能够监控SDG指标并传达其不均匀的全球足迹。这些可视化支持当地和国家当局的决策，并促进公众对全球问题的认识，以鼓励这些当局采取行动。“

地图和图表的设计不是没有计划执行的活动，而且有时比人们可能思考不那么简单。本专栏中的图提供了制图规划和设计过程的概述。大蓝框表示通常遵循的六个步骤，并且小字列出了这些步骤的操作。这些行动并不一定完成，并会因项目项目而异。黄色盒子提供了一些谨慎的话。

那么,什么是典型的问题和缺陷?Is it possible to follow these steps and end up with the single best map? Those of you with some experience will know that when you ask five different cartographers to design and create a map based on the same dataset, you will end up with five different maps that are probably all appropriate and adhere to the accepted design guidelines.

However, some designs should be avoided because they could result in flawed or even misleading maps and diagrams (suggestion: read Monmonier’s如何用地图撒谎). Problems regularly originate from improper data handling, distracting symbols and text, confusing map elements, and the use – or misuse – of software defaults. This last factor is a particular hindrance to novice map-makers, who are likely to assume that entering the data into the software and pushing a few buttons will result in a good map. This is where choropleth maps displaying absolute values and maps with rainbow colour scales to show densities originate from, not to mention the choice of map projections and enumeration units and the application of classification methods. Most map-makers have good intentions, but the message they want to bring across is probably getting lost because they fall into the obvious traps. The book aims to ensure that this does not happen, and the authors wrote the book to make the world a better place with maps.

映射可持续世界is available for free at the United Nations iLibrary:https://www.un-ilibrary.org/content/books/9789216040468/read.