Beyond carbon storage

Since they absorb and store large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, forests are a crucial part of Earth’s carbon cycle. They are also vital to the health of our planet and to all its inhabitants. Over 1.6 billion people worldwide depend on forests directly for timber, food, fuel, jobs and shelter. Forest degradation impacts environmental health and human well-being. When trees are removed or burned, much of the stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere, intensifying climate change.

ESA's Biomass mission is designed to measure forest biomass, and to further our knowledge of the role forests play in the carbon cycle.