Building a Clearer Picture of the World’s Forests

ESA’s Biomass Satellite Launches Groundbreaking Mission to Measure Global Forests and Carbon Storage

This is an exciting demonstration of technology and innovation being used to gather information about the worlds forests from above. Climate change is a worry for everyone whether we want to recognise it or not!

A new chapter in Earth observation has begun as scientists and environmentalists await the first results from a groundbreaking satellite mission set to revolutionise our understanding of the world’s forests.

Launched on April 29 from French Guiana, the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Biomass satellite is the first of its kind to provide highly accurate, 3D global maps of forests—offering essential insights into forest density, vegetation diversity, and the vital carbon they store. The mission aims to show not only how much forest remains on Earth but also how much has been lost to deforestation.

Using cutting-edge P-band synthetic aperture radar technology, Biomass will scan tropical forests across Africa, Asia, and South America. Its unique ability to see through dense canopies down to the forest floor will allow scientists to measure trees’ biomass—trunks, branches, and stems—where most of the forest’s carbon is held.

“We need to know the health of our tropical forests. We’re creating 3D images of forests from the canopy to the roots, helping us understand their structure and how much carbon they store.” said Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programmes at ESA

Forests: The Lungs of Our Planet

Forests absorb around eight billion tonnes of CO₂ each year, playing a crucial role in regulating Earth’s carbon cycle. However, widespread deforestation—driven by wildfires, agriculture, and mining—is severely undermining the planet’s ability to absorb greenhouse gases while simultaneously releasing vast amounts of stored carbon, accelerating climate change.

Despite understanding the causes and effects of deforestation, scientists have long faced a major obstacle: the lack of accurate global data on how much carbon is stored in forest ecosystems and how that’s changing. Biomass is expected to close this data gap significantly.

“We don’t properly understand what changes are now taking place, partly because we don’t have accurate estimates of carbon levels,” said Bjorn Rommen, ESA’s Mission Scientist. “Biomass will help us get a better grip on those numbers.”

Predicting the Future with Precision

Built by UK engineers and researchers, the 1.25-tonne spacecraft will orbit Earth for five years, gathering data that will be integrated with AI models to forecast future scenarios. These insights will be crucial in shaping climate policy and global conservation efforts.

“We need to be able to predict what the Earth will look like as temperatures rise,” added Cheli. “This mission, alongside AI, will help us understand what we’re up against.”

Kingfisher Press: Supporting Forests and the Planet

At Kingfisher Press, we understand the vital importance of preserving forests—not only for their role in regulating the climate, but for protecting biodiversity, supporting communities, and ensuring a sustainable future.

That’s why we are proud to be a certified Carbon Balanced Printer in partnership with the World Land Trust. Through this programme, we actively offset our carbon emissions by supporting the protection and restoration of critically threatened forest habitats around the world. This means every Carbon Balanced Print order helps fund essential conservation work in areas under pressure from deforestation.

We believe in responsible printing—and that includes choosing materials and processes that reduce impact and actively contribute to the preservation of nature’s most vital systems.

🌍 Learn more about our environmental commitment here: Kingfisher Press – Environment

🔗 Learn more about the ESA Biomass mission: ESA Website
📽️ Watch the official launch video: YouTube Live Stream