Above ground biomass in the Amazon basin

This map shows the above ground biomass in the Amazon basin, using data generated by ESA’s Climate Change Initiative.

Forests play a crucial role in Earth’s carbon cycle by absorbing and storing large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, keeping our planet cool. However, forest degradation and deforestation, particularly in the tropical regions, are causing much of this stored carbon to be released back into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change.

Read full story: Forest degradation primary driver of carbon loss in the Brazilian Amazon