ABOUT
The sustainable development of the space sector for the benefit of society is one of the key objectives of the European Space Agency (ESA). This is why in 2012 ESA and the European Interparliamentary Space Conference (EISC) approved the implementation of the Space for Sustainability Award. Since then, we have had 11 successful editions and 22 young people have won first place and jury special mentions.
The competition is for young students and professionals to present innovative project ideas on how the space industry can have a positive impact on the world. The objective is to raise awareness, ideas, and broaden the debate around the sustainable development of the space sector.
Initiatives like this one are especially valuable in the face of climate change and the growing expectations citizen's have for their institutions to take action in this matter.
ESA has also responded to this need through its Green Agenda (EGA), which summarises the agency’s two folded sustainability strategy to be achieved by 2030:
On the one hand, ESA must augment the contribution of space programs to the sustainable development of society and limit the environmental impact of their use.
On the other hand, the agency must reduce the environmental footprint of its activities and operations.