The Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) methodology (originally proposed in the framework of MEDALUS ‐ Mediterranean Desertification and Land Use ‐ a series of international cooperation research projects funded by the EU) is used worldwide to identify ‘sensitive areas' that are potentially threatened by land degradation and desertification.

The distinctive outcome of this approach is a multidimensional index (the ESA index) composed of partial indicators of climate, soil, vegetation, and management quality that are derived from the elaboration of 15 elementary variables.

In this study, we propose (i) a major update of the ESA methodology, as presented in the MEDALUS project, for global land degradation/desertification (LDD) assessment, (ii) a global map of ESAs to LDD and (iii) a global environmentally critical factors (ECF) map.

The results of the updated ESA framework confirm the efficiency and applicability of the ESA methodology in different worldwide areas, allowing for the harmonization of regional/country level studies and applications, and the more efficient use of global level datasets.

In this study, we provide examples for analysis of LDD patterns and processes at a global level, as well as for identification of the main risk factors over time and space. Global‐ESA and Global‐ECF maps also support regional‐scale knowledge on LDD processes and sustainable land management practices for LDD mitigation. High‐resolution illustrative maps and other information are available on a dedicated website (http://web.unibas.it/global‐esa/).