SCARFACE: a harmonized spatio-temporal dataset integrating socio-economic, environmental, and agricultural indicators for the Po Valley (Italy), 2011--2024

TL;DR

SCARFACE is a comprehensive, harmonized spatio-temporal dataset for the Po Valley, integrating diverse indicators from 2011 to 2024 to support research on agriculture, environment, and socio-economic interactions.

Contribution

It provides a novel, harmonized dataset with over 2,700 indicators across 256 regions, enabling advanced analysis of interconnected socio-economic and environmental processes.

Findings

Dataset covers 2011-2024 with 2,700+ indicators.

Harmonized data ensures spatial and temporal consistency.

Supports diverse applications like econometrics and policy analysis.

Abstract

We present "Sequestering CARbon through Forests, AgriCulture, and land usE (SCARFACE)", a harmonized spatio-temporal dataset that integrates climate, air quality, airborne pollutant emissions, land cover, soil properties, agro-industry dynamics and socio-economic indicators, to jointly investigate interconnected processes linking agricultural systems, atmospheric dynamics, emissions, and socioeconomic conditions in the Po Valley, Northern Italy. The spatial reference unit is the Agrarian Sub Region (ASR), that is, groups of contiguous municipalities that are considered homogeneous with respect to physical geography, agronomic characteristics, and prevailing agricultural production systems. The dataset adopts an annual panel structure from 2011 to 2024 defined over the 256 ASRs partitioning the Po Valley and comprises more than 2,700 indicators sourced from national and international public institutions. Heterogeneous data are harmonized within a processing workflow, tailored to the specific characteristics of each dataset, that guarantee spatial and temporal consistency of the output dataset. The resource supports reuse in applied econometrics, spatio-temporal modeling, clustering, and policy analysis focused on agriculture, air quality, and land use in a major European hotspot.