Mission: To deliver timely and accurate data on forest carbon in a way that unlocks insights for government, the private sector, NGOs, journalists, universities, and the general public.

Background: Between 2001 and 2013, greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation in the world’s tropical forests averaged roughly 2,270 million metric tons (Mt) of carbon dioxide annually — more than the emissions produced by the Russian economy in 2012. This and other findings have led to a ramping up of political commitments from global and regional restoration initiatives like those included in the Sustainable Development Goals, the New York Declaration on Forests, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and the UN Convention on Climate Change, as well as hundreds of corporate commitments in support of deforestation-free supply chains. To help the global community move beyond commitments to action, Global Forest Watch has launched GFW Climate, an interactive mapping platform (currently in beta) that explores the impact of tropical deforestation on global climate change and makes it easier for governments, companies, and civil society organizations to identify targets in the fight to protect the world's remaining forests. Supported by a diverse coalition of organizations, including the World Resources Institute, the platform is free for everyone to use and maintains an open data policy.

Outstanding Web Features: The platform provides interactive and high resolution (30 meter) maps of the amount of carbon stored in forests as well as the carbon dioxide emitted to the atmosphere when forests are cleared. It also provides a personalized user experience in the form of on-the-fly maps and analysis, interactive country dashboards, customized reports and data downloads. In addition, visitors can explore how emissions from tropical deforestation have changed over the first decade and a half of the twenty-first century and/or get involved by providing data or feedback, submitting a story or news item, or even developing an app on top of the platform. The site also includes a handy how-to-tool to help visitors achieve the best viewing experience and gather relevant data as they move through the site. (Teachers looking to integrate data into their classroom lessons can download a training module for the same purpose.) The Global Forest Watch blog provides additional insights related to improved forest management and threats to global forests, while visitors can stay up-to-date with the organization by following its updates on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.