The Atlas of Laudato Si’
Laudato Si’ asks us to hear the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor together. From your neighborhood to the edges of continents, the Atlas of Laudato Si’ helps you see what is happening in the places you love — and choose how to respond.
Choose a place. Explore what is happening there. See ecological conditions, Laudato Si’ connections, and community action on the same map.
The map gives you information. These six questions can help you decide what to notice, investigate and bring back to your community.
These aren’t automated map tools. They’re prompts to help you think more carefully as you explore the Atlas.
Start with what is actually visible. Look for places where a trend or status becomes stronger, weaker, denser, or suddenly different.
Try this view in the AtlasA map is only as useful as the data — and the care — behind it.
Each layer is documented so you can understand where the information came from, when it was produced, how precise it is, and what it can reasonably tell you. Some layers describe global environmental patterns; others reflect local places, Church geographies, or Laudato Si’ Action Platform participation. They should not all be read in the same way.
Every published layer points back to its source: who created it, what it measures, and when it was last updated. Sources may include scientific institutions, public datasets, Church records, and Laudato Si’ Action Platform participant information.
A dataset can show a pattern without explaining its cause. We make the method and limitations visible so you can distinguish what the evidence shows, what it suggests, and what it cannot establish on its own.
Not every dot, line, or shaded area has the same precision. A global estimate is different from a local measurement; a diocesan boundary is different from a street or property line. Zooming in does not make the underlying data more precise.
Some information should not be mapped at full precision. Sensitive locations may be generalized, and community-contributed data should be used with consent, appropriate attribution, and respect for the people and places it represents. The GeoHub is designed around stewardship as well as access.
The Atlas is designed to help you explore a place with curiosity and care. These answers explain what the map can tell you, what it cannot, and how to use it responsibly.
No. A layer showing emissions, heat, water stress, biodiversity or another condition describes what the selected dataset shows within or around that geographic area. It does not mean the diocese, parish, school or Laudato Si’ Action Platform participant caused that condition or is responsible for it.
The Atlas of Laudato Si’ reflects the information currently available to Laudato Si’ Action Platform and the sharing permissions attached to it. This is updated on a quarterly basis. A missing institution does not mean no ecological action is happening there. If a location is missing or incorrect, contact info@laudatosiactionplatform.org so the team can review it.
Precision varies. Some participant locations may be shown approximately for privacy or because a confirmed address is not available. Diocesan boundaries are broad reference geometries and should not be treated as street-, parcel-, civil-legal or definitive canonical boundaries.
Yes. Comparison can help reveal differences in ecological context and Platform participation. But the Atlas of Laudato Si’ is not intended to rank dioceses or communities. Compare conditions and context, not “performance.”
Each published layer should identify its source, date, geographic resolution, method and limitations. Open the GeoHub research portal for full metadata and documentation.
No. Spatial overlap can reveal a relationship worth investigating, but it does not by itself establish causation. Use the map as the beginning of a question, then bring in local knowledge and additional evidence.
Start by noticing what the map suggests, verify the situation locally, listen to people who know the place, and choose an action appropriate to that context. LSAP participants can then include the response in their Laudato Si’ Plan and record completed actions in their account.
The Atlas grows as institutions join the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, keep their information current, and record the actions they are taking. Make your community visible, learn from others, and contribute to a fuller picture of the Church responding to our common home.
Is something missing or misplaced? Contact info@laudatosiactionplatform.org
