It looks like they are using CSS Modules. If you follow the docs they say:
:global switches to global scope for the current selector resp.
identifier. :global(.xxx) resp. @keyframes :global(xxx) declares the
stuff in parenthesis in the global scope.
This operator is used in CSS Modules. Modular CSS uses a CSS Modules compiler to scope CSS styles within their respective modules (e.g., React component).
Here's an example from a React module (in the file ErrorMessaging.less for the ErrorMessaging.jsx React component):
Now .ui_column can apply to any child element with that style, including in a child React component, and not just .ui_column elements that are part of the ErrorMessaging React component.