Land & Carbon Lab

🌱 🌿 Non-forest ecosystems — such as grasslands, shrublands and wetlands — are essential to Earth’s diversity and stability. They not only store carbon but also support biodiversity and local communities. Initiatives, aimed at reducing ecosystem conversion, however, often overlook these vital areas. To support initiatives that safeguard non-forest ecosystems, such as companies committed to eliminating conversion from their supply chains, we need clear definitions of what constitutes non-forest ecosystem conversion. In an Accountability Framework initiative (AFi) blog, World Resources Institute and Land & Carbon Lab Research Associate Dr. Ana Reboredo Segovia helps detail efforts undertaken to contextualize conversion definitions in key regions. This included engagement in regional workshops in North and South America, where experts provided feedback on characterizing and mapping non-forest ecosystem conversion within their context, especially pertaining to supply chains monitoring. These efforts are essential for helping us monitor and prevent conversion of all natural ecosystems. 🌎 Click here to read the blog: https://bit.ly/3BxQNdR

We are hiring a technical product manager for our suite of API products serving up Global Forest Watch (and more!) data to the world. This role is remote eligible. Come join a team of passionate technologists working towards a sustainable future.

AI has the potential to change the game in the fight for nature and climate – and at #ClimateWeekNYC, it was front and center at the World Resources Institute and the Bezos Earth Fund’s "Harnessing AI and Satellite Monitoring for a Nature-Positive Future" panel. 🛰️ From real-time biodiversity monitoring to sustainable business growth in Africa, the panelists showcased the diverse power of AI in building a more sustainable world. Here’s what they had to say: Craig Mills of WRI’s Land & Carbon Lab set the tone, highlighting the revolutionary shift AI brings to land monitoring – making data accessible, actionable, and a key enabler of achieving global conservation and climate goals. Kelly Levin from the Bezos Earth Fund unveiled how the Fund is tapping into AI's vast potential to drive change in three areas: conserving biodiversity, revolutionizing sustainable proteins, and transforming energy grids – posing the question: Can AI be the vehicle that speeds up systemic change? Evan Tachovsky, leading WRI’s Data Lab, shared this pragmatic approach: AI should only be used when it improves time, cost, or skill – and called for rigorous evaluation to ensure that AI-driven solutions aren’t just hype but deliver real-world results. Drew Purves from Google DeepMind explored how geo-AI is breaking new ground in biodiversity monitoring, with foundational modeling helping topple the last barriers to real-time global ecosystem prediction, likening it to a domino effect – one that’s reshaping how we track and understand nature. Laura McGorman of Meta’s Data for Good showcased how open data, AI, and collaborations between tech and NGOs are fueling initiatives like detailed population mapping and transparent tracking of tree growth – equipping conservation projects with actionable insights to amplify their impact. Rekia Foudel from the Barka Fund brought it back to the ground, highlighting how African entrepreneurs are using AI to drive sustainable, climate-resilient practices in landscape restoration, and turn environmental challenges into economic opportunities – showing that climate change solutions can be both profitable and impactful. AI is already empowering, evaluating, and transforming our approach to climate and nature. But the question remains – how can we harness this tech revolution to deliver the systems change our planet urgently needs?

🌍 Version 1 of our new, open-source Natural Lands Map combines local data with global data to improve land cover delineation! For example, here we can see how including local data enhances the accuracy of maps in #Côted’Ivoire and #Ghana, showing much less natural forest than what’s possible with global data alone. This tool, developed in collaboration with WWF, Systemiq Ltd. and Science Based Targets Network, provides critical insights for sustainable sourcing, addressing issues like deforestation and habitat loss. Check out our blog to learn more: https://bit.ly/3TEQa8q

We were thrilled to see such a fantastic turnout for our session at #ClimateWeek NYC’s Nature Hub. 🌍 The discussion centered on the transformative potential of AI and satellite monitoring in protecting our natural ecosystems and addressing climate change. Key Takeaways: 1. AI and geospatial data are revolutionizing nature monitoring with better, cost-effective information. 2. AI is enabling small businesses on the ground to scale rapidly, supporting their company-level data with satellite and AI-driven data. 3. Innovations in satellite data are overcoming traditional geospatial monitoring challenges. The next frontier is on-the-ground training data, which can be achieved through collaboration with indigenous communities. Thank you to all speakers, participants and organizers for making this event a success. These advancements in AI and satellite technology are paving the way for more effective environmental monitoring and conservation efforts. 🚀 Join our mailing list to receive the full recording: https://bit.ly/3XY6Qdx

🌱 🌳 Check out Version 1 of our new, open-source Natural Lands Map in six key regions around the world. Developed with WWF, Systemiq Ltd. and Science Based Targets Network, this map uses the best global and local geospatial data available to help companies visualize the extent of natural land in 2020 and assess whether they may be responsible for conversion after 2020. Learn more about how this map can support your business on our blog: https://lnkd.in/dhq-MnXc

Will you be at the Nature Hub at #ClimateWeekNYC? Make sure to join our session to hear from the world’s leading experts in #AI, geospatial monitoring and conservation. In this series of rapid-fire talks, we will discuss new developments in AI and satellite monitoring and the role they can play in driving a nature-positive economy. 🌍🌱 Our speakers: Kelly Levin, Chief Science, Data and Systems Change Bezos Earth Fund Drew Purves, Sustainability and Biodiversity Co-Lead, Google DeepMind Laura McGorman, Director, Data for Good, Meta Rekia Foudel, Managing Partner, Barka Evan Tachovsky, Global Director, Data Lab, World Resources Institute Craig Mills, Director, Land & Carbon Lab, World Resources Institute

Read more about the incredible work from GEOTREES, the Bezos Earth Fund and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in The New York Times, collecting vital data on-the-ground data about the world's forests    At Land & Carbon Lab, we're using the data collected by these scientists and other forest plots around the world, and combining it with geospatial data and machine learning algorithms to create state-of-the-art forest models. These models will provide us with unprecedented information about what's happening to the world's forests now, and project what will happen to the world's forests all the way through to the year 2070 under different climate change scenarios.

Will you be at Climate Week NYC? Join our session at the Nature Hub and hear from some of the world’s leading #AI, geospatial monitoring and conservation experts, as they discuss the future of geospatial monitoring and the cutting-edge innovations that are paving the way for a nature-positive economy. Capacity at the Nature Hub is limited, so register your interest today: https://bit.ly/4g5010O

NEW📢 We are excited to launch version 1 of our new, open-source Natural Lands Map in collaboration with WWF, Systemiq Ltd. and Science Based Targets Network! Natural lands around the world are being converted and degraded at unprecedented levels, contributing to climate change, threatening biodiversity and disproportionately impacting vulnerable communities. Now more than ever, it’s crucial to limit human conversion of naturals lands. This new data will help companies achieve this in their supply chains 🌍📉 Read the blog here to learn more: https://bit.ly/3z5Dn7X