Science / Environment
Forests have grown better at cooling land surfaces, satellite study finds
Twenty years of data show the effect strengthened worldwide.
Status: source-checked.
Global forests have strengthened their ability to regulate land surface temperature over 20 years, according to a study published Nov. 3 in Nature Plants.
The researchers used satellite observations from 2001 to 2020 and linked the change mainly to increased tree cover and warming trends. Species-rich forests showed greater capacity.
What we know / what we don't
What we know
- The study covered 2001-2020.
What we don't know
- Future trends are not established.
The source record