Global Safety Net v3 Launches to Track Worldwide Natural Land Health

The Global Safety Net v3 (GSN3) represents a significant technical leap in environmental monitoring. Developed by One Earth and the Nature Data Lab, the platform uses advanced machine learning and the Human Modification time series to identify areas of critical ecological importance. Unlike previous initiatives that often relied on fragmented or politically driven data, GSN3 maps lands based on biological priority, distinguishing between genuine biodiversity hotspots and commercial timber or agricultural zones.

This release arrives as nations face pressure to meet the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets. By utilizing high-speed processing from Google Earth Engine, the tool allows officials and the public to interact with data across three primary layers: ecological significance, land cover classification, and current conservation status. The platform specifically highlights the role of Indigenous and Traditional Territories, providing a layer of transparency that Justin Winters, executive director of One Earth, describes as essential for directing resources to the landscapes that need them most.

Karl Burkart, director of the GSN3 initiative, noted that the platform allows for objective comparisons of how effectively different countries protect their most vital ecosystems. By visualizing data through the European Space Agency’s land cover classes, the system enables users to track rates of degradation at the national, state, and county levels. The interactive viewer is now publicly available, offering a standardized, open-source resource for global conservation efforts.