Satellite set to map health of tropical forests worldwide

A British satellite is set to map the state of the earth’s tropical forests in 3D for the first time, delivering crucial data in the fight against climate change.

Biomass satellite in space- revealing pillars. Credit: European Space Agency
Biomass satellite in space- revealing pillars. Credit: European Space Agency

The satellite – known as Biomass – will assist scientists based at the University of Edinburgh capture and understand how the world’s carbon stores are changing, as a result of deforestation.

The five-year mission will help researchers understand the ecology of tropical forests, the most diverse ecosystems on earth, experts say. 

Latest technology

Biomass’ revolutionary technology will provide accurate information to inform climate change policies, conservation efforts and protect future generations from climate breakdown.

Around a half of forest biomass is composed of carbon. Both deforestation, which releases carbon dioxide, and forest growth, which soaks it up, are crucial controls of climate change, experts say. 

Powerful sensors

Biomass's sensors will be able to penetrate cloud cover to measure forest biomass more accurately than any current technology. Until now sensors were only able to scan the top of the forest canopy. 

Biomass will repeatedly measure forest biomass, highlighting areas where growth is healthy, and where damage and loss are occurring.

Scientists expect it will also provide valuable insights into the diverse nature of tropical forests normally hidden from sight because of their remoteness or potential challenge to access.

Vital protection 

Providing the most up-to-date and accurate data on forest biomass will help develop more accurate global and national carbon budgets, experts say, aiding efforts to protect and enhance stores of carbon to slow climate change. 

Forest growth is the only proven approach to remove significant amounts of carbon dioxide, the team say, and the tropics are home to the most productive forests.

Net-zero goals

National budgets, informed by Biomass, will help governments devise effective strategies to achieve their net-zero goals, sustain their forests and monitor success.

The satellite was conceived by the University of Sheffield with support from geoscientists at the University of Edinburgh, and included collaborators across Europe. By combining British and European innovation the project has facilitated highly skilled jobs and expertise in areas such as science, design and development, assembly integration and testing.

 

The Biomass mission will allow us to make a step change improvement to our understanding of the global carbon cycle, and even more so to national and regional carbon cycles, due to the high resolution of the data it generates.

Our analyses will be able to support countries to understand how their forests connect to their international climate commitments, such as the Paris Agreement, and how to manage their forests sustainably.

 

It’s been a privilege to have led the team in the development of a pioneering mission that will revolutionise our understanding of the volume of carbon held in the most impenetrable tropical rainforests on the planet and, crucially, how this is changing over time.

The Biomass satellite represents a major leap forward in our ability to understand Earth’s carbon cycle. By mapping the world's forests from space in unprecedented detail, it will provide critical insights into how our planet is responding to climate change – helping scientists, policymakers, and conservationists take informed action. We’re proud of the leading role the UK has played in this important mission.

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2025
Climate and Environmental Crisis
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