Terms of Use#
Last Updated: 27 March 2025
MapX is a platform developed and maintained by the GRID-Geneva unit of the University of Geneva (hereinafter UNIGE/GRID) to support environmental decision-making by transforming data into actionable information. Throughout this document, ‘we,’ ‘our,’ or ‘us’ refers to UNIGE/GRID.
By accessing and using MapX, you agree to comply with these Terms of use. If you do not agree to these terms, please discontinue your use of MapX.
General Information#
MapX is a product of the University of Geneva (UNIGE) acting within the framework of the GRID-Geneva Partnership agreement between the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the University of Geneva. The platform is operated from Switzerland and adheres to applicable international and local laws, including those set by the United Nations.
Throughout this document, the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the University of Geneva will be collectively referred to as the ‘GRID-Geneva partners’.
User Responsibilities#
Acceptable Use#
Users agree to:
Use MapX solely for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms of use.
Refrain from uploading, sharing, or transmitting any content that is defamatory, obscene, illegal, or infringes on intellectual property rights.
Avoid actions that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair MapX or interfere with another user’s experience.
Intellectual Property#
MapX Ownership#
All intellectual property rights for the MapX platform, including its design, functionality, and content, belong to UNIGE/GRID and its licensors unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Data Ownership and Access#
Data uploaded to a workspace in MapX is owned by the user who uploaded it. However, by default, all publishers and administrators within the same workspace have the ability to use, edit and share this data. This collaborative model ensures seamless interaction and updates within the workspace. For users who wish to retain exclusive control over their data, MapX provides options in the interface to restrict access and editing rights. Users are encouraged to configure these settings as needed to align with their preferences and data-sharing requirements.
Users who publish their data publicly on MapX agree that all MapX users can view, reuse, create new content from, and export their public data, subject to the permissions of the applicable license. By making data publicly accessible, users consent to its broader use within the MapX ecosystem while retaining ownership of the original dataset.
Licensing of Data#
Data available on MapX may be subject to a variety of licensing terms, covering both public and private datasets. Most datasets on MapX are open source and provided under licenses such as Creative Commons or other open data licenses. However, some datasets may have restricted access or proprietary licenses. Users are required to comply with the specific licensing terms associated with each dataset. Licensing details, including access restrictions and usage permissions, are clearly stated in the metadata for each dataset. Users are encouraged to review and adhere to these terms before using the data.
Attribution of Data#
When using, sharing, printing, downloading, or extracting data or maps from the MapX platform, users are responsible for ensuring that they provide appropriate attribution in accordance with the licensing terms of the datasets. This includes, but is not limited to, datasets provided by Mapbox, OpenStreetMap, the United Nations, and any user-integrated content.
General guidelines:
For publicly available datasets, users must give credit to the original data providers as specified in the licensing terms.
For any user-generated content, attribution should acknowledge the original creator or publisher as required by the dataset’s license or terms.
If the data is printed, downloaded, or extracted from MapX, users must ensure that the attribution remains visible and intact, including any relevant information required by the dataset’s license.
Mapbox attribution: Maps that use Mapbox map designs, data, or software must display the Mapbox logo and text attribution, as outlined by the Mapbox Attribution Guidelines . The attribution must remain clearly visible and comply with Mapbox’s guidelines.
United Nations attribution: The international and administrative boundaries, along with the first subnational level and country names displayed in the MapX base map, are sourced from the United Nations Geospatial Data. Maps printed or exported from MapX that display these boundaries or country names must provide proper attribution to the United Nations. In addition, the official United Nations disclaimer must accompany the maps. Please refer to the next section for details.
OpenStreetMap attribution: Maps printed or exported from MapX must provide proper attribution to OpenStreetMap as most of the data displayed in the MapX base map are provided by OpenStreetMap. For detailed attribution guidelines, please refer to the OpenStreetMap Attribution Guidelines .
United Nations Geospatial Data#
The international and administrative boundaries, along with the first subnational level and country names displayed in the MapX base map, are sourced from the United Nations Geospatial Data (scale: 1:1 million, version: 2020). These layers have been styled in accordance with the “Guidance for the Publication of Maps” issued by the United Nations in November 2020.
The designations employed and the presentation of material do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations or the GRID-Geneva partners concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
Final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties. A dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan.
Final boundary between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan has not yet been determined.
Final status of the Abyei area is not yet determined.
A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
Disclaimer and Limitation of Liability#
The content of MapX is provided by a range of data suppliers and does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the GRID-Geneva partners. Materials on MapX are offered “as is”, and the GRID-Geneva partners make no warranties or representations regarding their content, accuracy, completeness, reliability, or legality. MapX may also contain links to third-party websites, for which the GRID-Geneva partners assume no responsibility and do not necessarily endorse any content.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, the GRID-Geneva partners are not liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of MapX. This includes damages resulting from reliance on user-uploaded content or external links, for which the GRID-Geneva partners assume no responsibility or liability.
Third-Party Integration and Software Development Kit Usage#
Software Development Kit Embedding and Compliance#
The MapX Software Development Kit (SDK) is a comprehensive toolset that enables developers to seamlessly integrate the MapX single page application into web projects, providing access to comprehensive geospatial environmental data.
Developers and organizations integrating MapX through the SDK must comply with the following requirements:
Mandatory Terms of Use Disclosure#
When embedding MapX via the SDK, the host website must either:
Explicitly enable the MapX Privacy Policy and Terms of Use during the initialization of the MapX instance, ensuring users are informed of and agree to these terms before interaction, or
Provide a clear and direct link to the full MapX Terms of Use and Privacy Policy on the host website, positioned prominently and accessible before users interact with the embedded MapX instance.
Responsibility Disclaimer#
UNIGE/GRID assumes no responsibility for MapX integrations on domains other than those directly managed by UNIGE/GRID, including but not limited to https://app.mapx.org .
The host website is solely responsible for ensuring compliance with these Terms of Use and maintaining appropriate user consent mechanisms.
Host websites must ensure that the embedding of MapX does not violate the Acceptable Use policy outlined in these Terms of Use.
Any misuse or inappropriate integration may result in the revocation of SDK access.
Limitation of Liability for Third-Party Integrations#
In addition to the existing Disclaimer and Limitation of Liability section, the following provisions specifically apply to SDK integrations:
UNIGE/GRID is not liable for any damages, losses, or consequences arising from the integration of MapX on third-party websites.
The host website assumes full responsibility for ensuring proper implementation, user consent, and compliance with these Terms of Use when embedding MapX.
UNIGE/GRID reserves the right to request immediate removal of any MapX integration that does not meet the specified compliance requirements.
Platform Availability#
MapX is provided “as is”, and while UNIGE/GRID strive to ensure uninterrupted access and accuracy of content, UNIGE/GRID do not guarantee error-free operation or the completeness of information.
Privacy Policy#
MapX is committed to protecting user data in accordance with its Privacy policy, including compliancy to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Please review our Privacy policy for detailed information on data collection, usage, and user rights.
Modifications to The Terms#
UNIGE/GRID reserves the right to update or modify these Terms of use at any time. Changes will be communicated via the MapX platform or email. Continued use of MapX following any updates constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.
Termination of Access#
UNIGE/GRID may suspend or terminate user access to MapX at its discretion, without notice, for violations of these Terms of use or other policies. Upon termination, any content uploaded by the user may be anonymized to maintain platform functionality.
Governing Law and Dispute Resolution#
These Terms of use are governed by Swiss law and the legal frameworks of the United Nations. Disputes arising from these terms will be subject to arbitration under international arbitration rules or resolved through Swiss courts in Geneva, as appropriate.
Contact Information#
For questions or concerns about these Terms of use, please contact us:
Physical address
Postal mail
By using MapX, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms of use.