The life of a climate and biodiversity sensor due to be destroyed in the Earth's atmosphere early next year is being asked to be extended by forest experts and scientists.
The first 3D map of the world was provided by the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (Gedi) mission, which was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Data from the Nasa mission, which has used billions of laser beam signals to measure the height, shape and health of the Earth's trees, has been helping scientists answer questions about land-use change, a key driver of the climate crisis and biodiversity loss.
The $150m project is scheduled to be de-orbited from the International Space Station early next year and the sensor will be incinerated in the Earth.
The University of Maryland has asked for an extension to allow Gedi to finish its work and calibrate the results with other satellites due to launch this decade. There could be more carbon stored on land than was previously thought.
Gedi's lifetime has already been extended once, in March 2021, the researchers say, and the tool is providing crucial data, including helping to monitor the Cop26 commitment from 142 countries to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030.
The biggest uncertainty we have in terms of atmospheric CO2 concentrations is the balance between regrowth and destruction. Prof Dubayah said that Gedi is helping them address that. You have to know what kind of impact that will have when you start.
Leading forest experts are in favor of a stay of execution. The sensor was described as a key tool for understanding global heating and as a waste of money.
Gedi has been extended beyond its prime mission to allow for additional data collection and will be replaced early next year, according to the Guardian.
Although scientists know the planet's trees are an enormous carbon store holding the equivalent of nearly a century's worth of fossil fuel emissions at the current rate, basic questions about the size and structure of forests remain unanswered.
The uncertainty makes it difficult for researchers to track emissions from land-use change.
Laura Duncanson, a research scientist on the Gedi team, said that it is critical that Gedi meets its scientific goals.
Every country can come up with its own definition of a forest, according to an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change author. Everybody has to take the numbers as the truth when countries fill in numbers. Jonckheere said that we can check them with satellites.
One of the primary free sources of reliable information about the world's forests is the Global Forest Watch platform.
The main tool is tree cover from the Landsat programme. He said that tree height is a better indicator of forest health than Gedi.
The best data to estimate the carbon stored in forests is provided by Gedi, according to Diego Saez Gil, head of Pachama, a carbon offsetting firm.
The longer Gedi is in the air, the more spatial coverage we can get. We could have long-term records if Gedi stayed in the air.
The combination of GEDI and other Nasa land monitoring gave researchers the ability to assess the impact of depredation and emissions on the environment.
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