Special Terms of Use for Global Nature Watch Self-Hosted Monitoring
Updated August 2026
A. These Terms of Use (“Terms”) are additive to the World Resources Institute’s (WRI) General Terms of Use and Global Nature Watch Horizon (GNW Horizon) Terms of Use and apply if You use Global Nature Watch Self-Hosted Monitoring (Self-Hosted Monitoring or GNW SHM) datasets and code or analytical scripts. Where a conflict exists between the GNW Horizon Terms of Use and these Terms of Use, these Terms of Use govern.
B. The purpose of GNW SHM is to offer data, datasets, code and scripts (collectively the “Content” or “SHM Content”) for self-service calculation of geospatial analytics, metrics and statistics, and other outputs, that empower people everywhere to better protect nature and thereby advance the WRI Mission.
C. This Content provided by Global Nature Watch is made publicly available to support research, analysis, transparency, and other lawful uses. The Content provided is not intended to contain confidential or sensitive information. You agree to not use the Content from Global Nature Watch in any manner that could damage or interfere with any other party’s access to and use of the SHM Content. Self-Hosted Monitoring runs on Your own infrastructure. We do not receive, store, or process the source locations, geometries, or other data You analyze using the Content, since that information is not transmitted to us. Paragraph D describes the access information that is recorded when You request Content from Our cloud storage, and how Your choice of analysis method affects it.
D. Your privacy is governed by the WRI Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. Most of the Content requires no account or registration with Us, and We do not use cookies or similar tracking technology to deliver it. Where access to a dataset requires prior review and approval as described in Paragraph H, We collect and retain the cloud account identifier You provide so that We can authorize and maintain Your access. When the Content is requested from Our cloud storage, standard server-side access information is recorded, which may include the requesting account identifier or network address, the date and time of the request, the objects requested, and the volume of data transferred. Where You run analytical scripts directly against Content hosted in Our cloud storage, the record of which objects You requested may indicate the approximate areas You are analyzing; You can avoid this by copying the Content into Your own environment before running Your analysis. If You contact Us for support, or send Us questions, insights, or feedback, We also collect the information You provide in that interaction, including Your name, Your email address, and the content of Your message. As provided in the Terms of Service – WRI Data Platforms, We may collect, use, and disclose aggregated and deidentified data derived from Your use of the Content and from Your support interactions with Us. We use this information to operate and secure delivery of the Content, to provide and improve support, to understand which datasets and scripts are used and at what scale, and to report on the reach and impact of Our work, including to Our funders. Any reporting We publish or provide to funders presents this information only in aggregate form that does not identify You. Data extraction from Your use of the Content is an automated process.
E. The Feedback provisions of the WRI General Terms of Use apply to Self-Hosted Monitoring. If You send or transmit any communications or materials to Us by email, web form, telephone, or otherwise, suggesting or recommending changes to the Content, Our documentation, or Our support services, including new features or functionality, or any comments, questions, insights, suggestions, or the like ("Feedback"), such Feedback will be deemed to be both non-confidential and non-proprietary, and We are free to use such Feedback irrespective of any other obligation or limitation between us governing such Feedback. You hereby assign to WRI, on Your own behalf and on behalf of Your personnel, contractors, and agents, all right, title, and interest in any ideas, know-how, concepts, techniques, or other intellectual property rights contained in the Feedback, and We are free to use the Feedback for any purpose whatsoever, without attribution or compensation to any party, although We are not required to use any Feedback. We may reflect Feedback in the aggregated and deidentified statistics described in Paragraph D. Please do not send Us information that You or Your organization considers confidential or proprietary through these channels.
F. You must comply with the licenses of Our datasets. All content displayed on or accessible through GNW Self-Hosted Monitoring online documentation is protected by United States copyright laws or their equivalents in other countries. You acknowledge that We or our licensors own and shall retain all copyrights and other intellectual property rights to and in SHM Content. Non-WRI content, including third party datasets made available through Self-Hosted Monitoring, remains the property of its respective owners.
G. Unless otherwise stated, the data and datasets are provided under the CC BY 4.0 license, and code and scripts are provided under the Apache 2.0 license. Dataset-specific licenses and the required attribution format for each dataset are listed in our Self-Hosted Monitoring datasets and attribution documentation.
H. Use of certain datasets (e.g., LandMark) may require prior review and approval as well as periodic actions to maintain access. We require that You accept a separate agreement that specifies permitted uses and associated terms. If We have entered into a license agreement with You, with respect to that dataset, the terms of that separate license agreement including any exhibits and attachments thereof shall prevail over these Terms to the extent of any inconsistency.
I. The Content is provided “as is” and “as available.” To the fullest extent permitted by law, WRI makes no representations or warranties regarding merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, or non-infringement. We do not guarantee that the Content or delivery mechanisms will be error free, accurate, up to date, or without interruption. We do not guarantee that code and script downloads or data and datasets are free of viruses, malware, or malicious scripts. Global Nature Watch Self-Hosted Monitoring may include third party content; we do not endorse any non-WRI content. Under no circumstances will WRI be liable for or in connection with the non-WRI content, including for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions in any non-WRI content, any intellectual property infringement with regard to any non-WRI content, or for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any non-WRI content.
J. When providing attribution for use of SHM Content, You may not in any way assert or imply that We endorse You or Your and Your entity’s use of our Content. Users may not imply sponsorship, partnership, certification, or approval by WRI. You must provide attribution for SHM Content in the form specified in our datasets and attribution documentation.
K. You agree to indemnify and hold WRI and Global Nature Watch officers, agents, and employees harmless from any liability, loss, or damage they may suffer as a result of claims, demands, costs or judgments against them arising out of your misuse of SHM Content or any non-WRI content associated with Global Nature Watch Self-Hosted Monitoring, including but not limited to, violation of terms, or modification of our Content, and in cases where Your deployment of the data or code violates someone else’s privacy, intellectual property, or publicity rights.
L. In no event whatsoever shall WRI be held liable for any incidental, indirect, special, consequential or punitive damage or lost profits under any tort, contract, strict liability or other legal or equitable theory arising out of or pertaining to any SHM Content. Use of or engagement with SHM Content is entirely at your own risk.
M. All WRI and Global Nature Watch names, logos, and related marks remain the property of their respective owners and may not be used except as permitted by applicable trademark guidelines.
N. Users are solely responsible for evaluating the suitability of the Content and for any conclusions, decisions, products, or services derived from it.
O. WRI may update, modify, replace, or discontinue the data, datasets and/or code and scripts at any time without notice.
P. You are responsible for all costs You incur in accessing or using the Content, including any third-party cloud infrastructure, storage, compute, and data transfer charges.
Q. The Content is provided on a self-service basis. We have no obligation to provide support, maintenance, training, or account-specific consultation. Any update schedules described in our documentation are expected cadences and are not commitments.
R. We may update these Terms at any time by posting a revised version with a revised date. Your continued use of the Content after a revised version is posted constitutes Your acceptance of it.
S. By downloading our data, datasets, code and scripts you agree that these Terms are to be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia, USA, including for any disputes regarding these Terms.