RELEASE: Global Forest Watch Becomes Global Nature Watch, Expanding to Cover More Land Ecosystems

• Global Nature Watch’s AI-driven Horizon platform is now available in preview, with data on forests and other key ecosystems.
• Existing Global Forest Watch users will continue to have access to the forest data, tools and workflows they rely on through Global Nature Watch.

• Over time, a new look and improved user experience will be introduced alongside new capabilities and coverage.

   

Washington, D.C. (September 21, 2026) — World Resources Institute (WRI) today announced that Global Forest Watch (GFW), one of the world's most widely used environmental monitoring platforms, is now Global Nature Watch (GNW).

Building on more than a decade of trusted forest monitoring through GFW, Global Nature Watch is expanding beyond forests to help people better understand and manage the world’s lands — supporting better decisions for livelihoods, climate stability and biodiversity.

As part of this evolution, a new AI-driven platform, Horizon, is now available on Global Nature Watch in preview. It combines data across land ecosystems with advances in AI, Earth observation and geospatial technologies — making complex nature data easier to find, understand and use for people with different technical backgrounds, languages and levels of experience with mapping tools.  

Global Forest Watch users will continue to have access to the forest data, resources and workflows they rely on through Global Nature Watch’s map, dashboards and tools, including Forest Watcher, MapBuilder and LandMark.

“Forests don't exist in isolation — what happens in grasslands, on farms and in wetlands shapes what happens in forests, and every one of those ecosystems is under growing pressure,” said Crystal Davis, Global Director for the Food, Land & Water Programs at World Resources Institute. “For a decade, we've helped millions understand what's happening in forests. Now we're applying that same science-based approach across the broader landscapes they're connected to — giving people the information they need to understand change, manage risks and make better decisions for nature.”

Horizon currently features data on forests and other key landscapes such as grasslands, as well as near-real-time alerts across all vegetated ecosystems. Additional data, including on greenhouse gas dynamics and other land ecosystems, will be added over time.

During the preview period, Horizon will be available alongside Global Nature Watch’s existing forest monitoring product. Over time, Horizon is expected to become GNW’s primary monitoring platform, with a phased transition to ensure it can meet users’ core monitoring needs.

“With advances in Earth observation and AI, we can now uncover things about our planet and its ecosystems that simply weren't possible 20 years ago,” said Craig Mills, Director of Land & Carbon Lab and Global Nature Watch at World Resources Institute. “We're able to reach ecosystems that were once difficult to monitor at scale, and do it with greater speed and accuracy. And now AI is helping put that complex information into the hands of the people who can act on it, creating powerful new opportunities for nature protection and restoration.”

Today, millions of people use GNW’s free satellite data and monitoring tools to monitor more than 600 million hectares of forest worldwide — from Indigenous communities and forest defenders tracking deforestation in near real time, to companies conducting supply chain due diligence, to governments enforcing land-use policy.

This work is possible thanks to foundational support from Norway's International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI), a key funder of forest monitoring data since GFW's early days, and from the Bezos Earth Fund, which is supporting GNW's expansion as part of its commitment to harnessing science, data and AI to accelerate action for climate and nature.

“Twelve years ago, Norway backed an ambitious idea: making reliable information about the world's forests freely available to anyone who needs it,” said Sigrun Aasland, Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway. “Today, the data and tools supported through this partnership are used by governments, Indigenous Peoples, civil society organizations and businesses around the world to help protect forests and strengthen accountability. I am proud that Norway has contributed to building this global public good, and I am excited to see how Global Nature Watch can make trusted information even more accessible and useful for both protecting forests and other ecosystems.”

“The nature crisis is moving too fast for yesterday’s tools. Global Nature Watch combines frontier science, satellite data and AI to make planetary change visible and actionable, giving people everywhere the intelligence to protect nature before it is too late,” said Dr. Kelly Levin, Chief of Science, Data and Systems Change at the Bezos Earth Fund.  

Over the coming months, a new look and improved user experience will be introduced that reflects the continued evolution of Global Nature Watch’s capabilities and coverage. Whether users are monitoring forests or other critical landscapes, the initiative’s commitment remains the same: free, global, science-based data that helps people protect the natural world we all depend on.

Users can find answers to frequently asked questions about the evolution here. To explore Global Nature Watch, visit globalnaturewatch.org. To explore Horizon, visit horizon.globalnaturewatch.org.

Notes to Editors:

Media Contact

• Sophie Brady (Media Relations Specialist) — [email protected]
• Kaitlyn Thayer (Communications Manager, Global Nature Watch) — [email protected]

About Global Nature Watch

Global Nature Watch (GNW), formerly Global Forest Watch (GFW), provides open access to the best available data, tools and insights on Earth’s changing landscapes. By harnessing the latest advancements in AI, Earth observation and geospatial technology, GNW helps people everywhere protect and restore nature, strengthen livelihoods and address climate change. Since the launch of Global Forest Watch in 2014, over 9 million people from 170+ countries have visited the monitoring platform. Now, GNW is transforming what’s possible for nature monitoring through a new innovative AI-driven platform, GNW Horizon.

About World Resources Institute (WRI) 
WRI works to improve people’s lives, protect and restore nature and stabilize the climate. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data, expertise and global reach to influence policy and catalyze change across systems like food, land and water; energy; and cities. Our 2,000+ staff work on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations.