Welcome to our newsletter on everything related to impact data. In this newsletter we will cover:
- Interesting variable: Number of farms across Europe
- Interesting tool: Building Typology WebTool
- Interesting read: European tourist mobility patterns
- Interesting dataset: Impact Genome Registry
Interesting variable: Number of farms across Europe
Eurostat has recently released experimental geospatial data from the agricultural census, providing a high-resolution dataset.
The data are produced using a Quadtree approach developed in collaboration with the Joint Research Centre. In this method, agricultural census data are aggregated into a multi-resolution grid, with the smallest grid cells measuring 1 km. To ensure statistical confidentiality, a grid cell is only reported at 1 km resolution if it contains at least 10 farms and if the largest contributors do not dominate the total value of the variable; otherwise, the cell size is increased (to 5 km, 10 km, etc.).
Personally, I found this map showing the number of farms quite impressive as it shows the large differences across Europe. Just take a look at the number of farms and compare the density in France and Italy. That might explain some conflicts at the European level.
The experimental dataset is available via an interactive map and can also be downloaded.
Interesting tool: Building Typology WebTool
One of my favourite tool is the Building Typology WebTool as it provides a very good overview of the carbon footprint of the European housing stock at national level and over time.
The tool provides a comprehensive dataset on building typologies across urban areas. It offers detailed, clear visualizations on architectural design, density, and urban form. The dataset includes information on the carbon footprint of existing housing stock, demonstrating that many older buildings have higher operational and embodied emissions due to outdated systems and poor insulation. Renovation and retrofitting are effective strategies to reduce these emissions while preserving the embodied carbon already invested.
For example, the screenshot shows the building stock in Austria from 1919 to 1980. A single-family house has energy needs of 136 kWh/m2a which can be reduced to 65 kWh/m2a. If you multiply these potential savings per square meter with the total housing stock, you realize how much we can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.
Interesting read: European tourist mobility patterns from 2019 to 2021
A recent article published in Nature titled “Machine learning analysis of the effects of COVID-19 on migration patterns” looked at European tourist mobility patterns.
It compares the Blue Banana with the Red Octopus as shown in this tweet. The study uses a radiation model and clustering techniques to compare two socio-economic corridors.
The paper found that in 2019, tourist flows exhibited a bimodal clustering—reflecting heterogeneous, region-specific mobility patterns. However, during the pandemic, clustering shifted to a unimodal distribution in 2020 and 2021, indicating a move toward more uniform tourist behavior across Europe. Moreover, the analysis revealed that tourist preferences strongly align with GDP, cultural, and linguistic similarities, highlighting the resilience of established corridors like the Blue Banana and exposing the fragility of emerging ones such as the Red Octopus.
Interesting dataset: Impact Genome Registry
The Impact Genome Registry is a curated dataset that aggregates key impact metrics across various sectors. This dataset is an interesting resource for assessing social and environmental impacts, and it supports in‑depth analysis by researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals.
You need a subscription to access the full Impact Genome Registry but even the free version offers some interesting insights.
Giving forward, we will share more of the impact registries which are offering insights in the results of certain interventions.