Global Forest Watch 2.0.

On February 19 2014, the World Resources Institute (WRI), Google, and more than 40 partners launched the Global Forest Watch (GFW). This is an online forest monitoring and alert system that empowers people to better manage forests. The system integrates the use satellite technology, open data, and crowd sourcing to guarantee access to timely and reliable information about forests.

The Global Forest Watch is expected to have an input in industries. For instance, financial institutions can better evaluate if the companies they invest in assess forest-related risks. It can also help buyers of major commodities such as palm oil, soy, timber, and beef  to monitor compliance with laws, sustainability commitments, and standards. And suppliers can credibly demonstrate that their products are “deforestation free” and legally produced

Furthermore, GFW can support other stakeholders such as indigenous communities, who can upload alerts and photos when encroachment occurs on their lands; and NGOs that can identify deforestation hotspots, mobilize action, and collect evidence to hold governments and companies accountable. It can also contribute with national to help them design smarter policies, enforce forest laws, detect illegal forest clearing, manage forests more sustainably, and achieve conservation and climate goals