MANY MINDEDUN adopts Equal Earth map projection to correct global mapping bias
On 18 September 2026, the UN General Assembly adopted the Equal Earth map projection as an alternative to the 16th-century Mercator display. The resolution received 164 votes in favor, with the United States voting against it and six countries abstaining. Japan requested revisions regarding Kuril Islands representation, while Ukraine abstained over Russian-occupied Crimea. The projection, developed by Tom Patterson (US), Bojan Šavrič (California), and Bernhard Jenny (Monash University, Australia), aims to correct Mercator’s distortion of northern hemisphere landmass sizes—showing Africa and Europe at more accurate relative sizes than Mercator does. Greenland appears smaller in Equal Earth. Crucially, the resolution does not ban Mercator or mandate its complete replacement; it only establishes Equal Earth as an alternative projection. The United States UN representative described such resolutions as 'barnacles on our work here,' and the projection itself is a mathematical tool without human-made borders or shading.
This shift addresses centuries of western bias in global cartography. By reducing distortions that historically marginalized regions like Africa and parts of Europe, Equal Earth enables more equitable resource allocation and policy decisions. For the Commons sector, it supports fairer international coordination without requiring immediate technical transitions. However, the UN resolution does not replace Mercator, and the US opposition—along with Japan’s and Ukraine’s abstentions—indicates ongoing friction in adopting standardized global mapping. The projection’s impact on resource equity depends on widespread adoption by policymakers, not automatic implementation.
Source: Guardian