Unlocking the Power of Forests in Combating Climate Change

A new NASA program called the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) is using laser technology to measure the biomass of forests around the world, allowing researchers to calculate how much carbon these protected areas are storing. The study found that protected areas have helped prevent deforestation and kept as much as a year's worth of fossil fuel emissions from being released into the atmosphere. However, these reserves are facing increasing pressure as boundaries are disregarded and deforestation continues. The GEDI program, which provides precise 3D measurements of vegetation, offers a new way to understand the carbon storage potential of forests and highlights the importance of protecting these ecosystems in the fight against climate change.