Using high resolution laser ranging (Lidar) technology, GEDI makes precise measurements of forest canopy height, vegetation structure, and biomass. To do so, it relies on existing, crowd-sourced datasets to calibrate with data collected from space. GEDI quantifies the amount of
carbon
stored in Earth’s vegetation and estimates the impacts of climate and land use change. These measurements can aid understandings of
carbon
and
water
cycling processes, habit and
biodiversity
on a large scale, with the capacity to contribute to international policy frameworks and
carbon
markets. GEDI is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2023, but scientists are pushing for its data collection period to be extended. GEDI's data are freely downloadable.