A global assessment reveals that land use has reduced biosphere intactness below safe limits across most of the terrestrial surface, particularly in grassland biomes. Land use and related pressures have significantly reduced local biodiversity intactness, defined as the average proportion of natural biodiversity remaining in local ecosystems. The study estimates that 58.1% of the world's land surface has exceeded the proposed planetary boundary for biodiversity intactness, with 71.4% of the human population living in these areas. Biodiversity intactness is below safe limits in most biomes, including grasslands, many biodiversity hotspots, and even some wilderness areas. This widespread transgression of safe limits suggests that biodiversity loss, if unchecked, will undermine long-term sustainable development. The study uses global models and land-use maps to estimate that local species richness has declined by more than 20% across 28% of the world's land surface by 2005, while 48.7% of land has seen a reduction in total abundance of at least 10%. The study highlights the urgent need for global assessments of biodiversity metrics to understand the impact of land use on ecosystem functions and services. The results show that land use has had the most significant impact on grasslands, with the least impact on tundra and boreal forests. The study also finds that many biodiversity hotspots have exceeded the safe limits for biodiversity intactness, while some high biodiversity wilderness areas have not. The findings underscore the importance of preserving natural vegetation and restoring human-used lands to natural vegetation to protect biodiversity, ecosystems, and human wellbeing in the long term.A global assessment reveals that land use has reduced biosphere intactness below safe limits across most of the terrestrial surface, particularly in grassland biomes. Land use and related pressures have significantly reduced local biodiversity intactness, defined as the average proportion of natural biodiversity remaining in local ecosystems. The study estimates that 58.1% of the world's land surface has exceeded the proposed planetary boundary for biodiversity intactness, with 71.4% of the human population living in these areas. Biodiversity intactness is below safe limits in most biomes, including grasslands, many biodiversity hotspots, and even some wilderness areas. This widespread transgression of safe limits suggests that biodiversity loss, if unchecked, will undermine long-term sustainable development. The study uses global models and land-use maps to estimate that local species richness has declined by more than 20% across 28% of the world's land surface by 2005, while 48.7% of land has seen a reduction in total abundance of at least 10%. The study highlights the urgent need for global assessments of biodiversity metrics to understand the impact of land use on ecosystem functions and services. The results show that land use has had the most significant impact on grasslands, with the least impact on tundra and boreal forests. The study also finds that many biodiversity hotspots have exceeded the safe limits for biodiversity intactness, while some high biodiversity wilderness areas have not. The findings underscore the importance of preserving natural vegetation and restoring human-used lands to natural vegetation to protect biodiversity, ecosystems, and human wellbeing in the long term.