diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/no-unused-vars.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/no-unused-vars.ts
index 03c27d40616..7239982c935 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/no-unused-vars.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/no-unused-vars.ts
@@ -219,6 +219,19 @@ export default util.createRule<Options, MessageIds>({
         markDeclarationChildAsUsed(node);
       },
 
+      // global augmentation can be in any file, and they do not need exports
+      'TSModuleDeclaration[declare = true][global = true]'(): void {
+        context.markVariableAsUsed('global');
+      },
+
+      // children of a namespace that is a child of a declared namespace are auto-exported
+      [ambientDeclarationSelector(
+        'TSModuleDeclaration[declare = true] > TSModuleBlock TSModuleDeclaration > TSModuleBlock',
+        false,
+      )](node: DeclarationSelectorNode): void {
+        markDeclarationChildAsUsed(node);
+      },
+
       // declared namespace handling
       [ambientDeclarationSelector(
         'TSModuleDeclaration[declare = true] > TSModuleBlock',
@@ -229,9 +242,12 @@ export default util.createRule<Options, MessageIds>({
           util.NullThrowsReasons.MissingParent,
         ) as TSESTree.TSModuleDeclaration;
 
-        // declared modules with an `export =` statement will only export that one thing
+        // declared ambient modules with an `export =` statement will only export that one thing
         // all other statements are not automatically exported in this case
-        if (checkModuleDeclForExportEquals(moduleDecl)) {
+        if (
+          moduleDecl.id.type === AST_NODE_TYPES.Literal &&
+          checkModuleDeclForExportEquals(moduleDecl)
+        ) {
           return;
         }
 
@@ -284,7 +300,7 @@ export default util.createRule<Options, MessageIds>({
           AST_NODE_TYPES.TSEnumDeclaration,
           AST_NODE_TYPES.TSModuleDeclaration,
           AST_NODE_TYPES.VariableDeclaration,
-        ].join(', ')})${childDeclare ? '[declare=true]' : ''}`,
+        ].join(', ')})${childDeclare ? '[declare = true]' : ''}`,
       ].join(', ');
     }
     function markDeclarationChildAsUsed(node: DeclarationSelectorNode): void {
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/no-unused-vars.test.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/no-unused-vars.test.ts
index fbb468e375f..e22f9eb2ba7 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/no-unused-vars.test.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/no-unused-vars.test.ts
@@ -858,6 +858,32 @@ declare module 'foo' {
   type Test = 1;
   const x: Test = 1;
   export = x;
+}
+    `,
+    // https://github.com/typescript-eslint/typescript-eslint/issues/2523
+    `
+declare global {
+  interface Foo {}
+}
+    `,
+    `
+declare global {
+  namespace jest {
+    interface Matchers<R> {
+      toBeSeven: () => R;
+    }
+  }
+}
+    `,
+    `
+export declare namespace Foo {
+  namespace Bar {
+    namespace Baz {
+      namespace Bam {
+        const x = 1;
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }
     `,
   ],
@@ -1456,5 +1482,57 @@ declare module 'foo' {
         },
       ],
     },
+    {
+      code: `
+// not declared
+export namespace Foo {
+  namespace Bar {
+    namespace Baz {
+      namespace Bam {
+        const x = 1;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+      `,
+      errors: [
+        {
+          messageId: 'unusedVar',
+          line: 4,
+          data: {
+            varName: 'Bar',
+            action: 'defined',
+            additional: '',
+          },
+        },
+        {
+          messageId: 'unusedVar',
+          line: 5,
+          data: {
+            varName: 'Baz',
+            action: 'defined',
+            additional: '',
+          },
+        },
+        {
+          messageId: 'unusedVar',
+          line: 6,
+          data: {
+            varName: 'Bam',
+            action: 'defined',
+            additional: '',
+          },
+        },
+        {
+          messageId: 'unusedVar',
+          line: 7,
+          data: {
+            varName: 'x',
+            action: 'assigned a value',
+            additional: '',
+          },
+        },
+      ],
+    },
   ],
 });