Biomass: weighing Earth’s forest from space

Around 30% of Earth’s land surface is covered by forest. Absorbing around 8 Gigatonnes a year of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, forests play a crucial role in the carbon cycle and climate system. ESA's Biomass mission will measure forest biomass and will lead to a better understanding of the state of Earth’s forests, how they are changing over time, and advance our knowledge of the carbon cycle.