Asian Development Bank: The World Isn’t Flat, but Government Data Is

Rapid advances in satellite sensing and location-based analytics are transforming national spatial data systems into core public infrastructure. By connecting environmental intelligence, real-time mapping and secure data, these systems are strengthening planning, investment and public decision-making across economies.

Author: Antonio García Zaballos Director, ADB’s Digital Sector Office

An estimated 90 percent of the issues governments manage today—from ecosystems and food security to transport networks and natural hazards—are shaped by location and geography. Yet many public administrations still rely on flat, siloed and document-based systems that treat the world as static rather than spatial, dynamic and interconnected.

Two technologies are redefining this approach.

The first is earth observation: the use of satellites and sensors to collect continuous information about the planet’s surface and atmosphere. The second is geographic information systems, which organise, analyse and visualise location-based data to reveal patterns, relationships and risk.

One captures the state of the planet. The other converts raw reality into decisions, policies, investments and services. Earth observation without geographic information systems is little more than imagery. Geographic information systems without earth observation are merely maps. Together, they form the real-time nervous system of the modern state.

Adoption is accelerating. Roughly 11,000 satellites now orbit the Earth, with more than 3,200 launched in 2024 alone. By 2035, the global space economy is projected to nearly triple, expanding from about $600bn today to $1.8tn.

In 2000, only 14 countries operated satellites. Today, more than 90 do. Space has evolved from a specialised domain into global infrastructure—a new utility of development rather than the preserve of a handful of agencies.

The development payoff is substantial. More than 40 percent of international development goals depend directly on space-based services. Satellites underpin environmental monitoring, forest management, precision agriculture and disaster response. With the emergence of direct-to-device connectivity, the ambition of “early warnings for all” is increasingly achievable, allowing life-saving alerts to reach remote and vulnerable populations, not only urban centres.
This shift demands a reframing of public policy. Earth observation and geographic information systems can no longer be treated as discrete projects or pilots. They should be recognised as national spatial data infrastructure—foundational public utilities. In this sense, spatial data is to territory what digital identification is to people: an enabling layer for modern governance.

Across Asia and the Pacific, development initiatives are increasingly built on this foundation. National spatial data infrastructure links satellites, drones, land registries, population data and administrative systems into a shared platform accessible across ministries and sectors.

Rather than isolated maps and fragmented datasets, spatial intelligence becomes a common operating system for agritech, urban resilience, climate adaptation, mobility planning and infrastructure investment.

The economic gains are tangible. Precision agriculture raises yields while reducing input costs. Digitised land records lower fraud, improve tax collection and unlock mortgage markets. Real-time flood mapping saves lives and enables more efficient public spending. This is not cartography. It is structural economic reform driven by data.

As space becomes global public infrastructure, however, risks are rising. Around 1.7 million satellites are currently planned for launch, intensifying concerns over orbital congestion, interference and unequal access. Low Earth orbit is now 27 times more crowded than a decade ago, with ninety-six percent of tracked objects classified as debris.
The re-entry of mega-constellations could burn up an estimated 29 tonnes of satellite material per day. Dark skies, astronomical research and cultural heritage sites face growing pressure, while the radio spectrum required for scientific observation is under strain in an increasingly congested environment.

These challenges underscore the need for a renewed governance compact. Space has become essential infrastructure. For more than six decades, global radio conferences have coordinated spectrum and orbital pathways, and space-related issues will dominate the agenda of the next conference cycle. Sustainability is moving to the centre of debate, from international frameworks on responsible space use to emerging digital governance initiatives.

At the same time, spatial trust and cybersecurity are becoming critical concerns. Geospatial data includes some of a nation’s most sensitive assets: land ownership records, critical infrastructure, military installations and vulnerable populations. This data must be sovereign, secure, encrypted, auditable and governed under zero-trust principles.

The world is physical. Development is spatial. Policy must now be spatial as well. Earth observation and geographic information systems are no longer niche technical tools. They are the central platform of twenty-first century public administration.

The question facing governments is no longer whether spatial systems will be adopted, but whether they will be designed deliberately—or allowed to emerge in fragmented and uneven ways.

Across Asia and the Pacific, countries are increasingly integrating spatial intelligence, cybersecurity and data infrastructure into national digital strategies, sovereign platforms and regional corridors. These efforts are building enduring public capabilities, enabling governments to govern with real-time intelligence rather than in the dark.

The future of development will not be decided in meeting rooms. It will be decided from space, mapped on Earth and activated through data.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Asian Development Bank, its management, its Board of Directors, or its members.