Evaluating the European space sector carbon footprint for the year 2019
ESA has included important environmental and sustainability objectives in its Agenda 2025. On one hand ESA aims at increasing the contribution of its projects to the sustainable development of society, and on the other hand the Agency wants to improve its environmental footprint and contribute to the climate neutrality of Europe by 2030.
Decarbonisation of the space sector
The very ambitious objective of reducing ESA greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 46% by 2030 compared to the 2019 baseline has been set against science-based targets to contribute to the Paris Agreement objective of containing the increase of the surface temperature of the planet by 1,5°C by 2100.
With the largest proportion of ESA GHG emissions being generated by the Agency’s supply chain, the cooperation of all ESA stakeholders is fundamental to achieving this ambitious target.
Space agencies, large system integrators, satellite operators, mid-caps and SMEs are working together with ESA to join efforts in the progressive decarbonisation of the European space sector.
In this context, and with the objective of first evaluating the carbon footprint of the entire sector, it is fundamental to mobilise the entire European supply chain and receive as much as possible information on the carbon footprint of all the entities that are contributing to the European effort in space activities.
Collecting these data in a coherent and consistent manner will allow ESA to set up common reduction targets for the European space sector as well as a roadmap for their achievement and the relevant indicators to monitor progress at sectorial level.
Main goal in this undertaking is guaranteeing a maximum coverage of activities and avoiding double counting of emissions. It has been therefore decided to cover only Scope 1, 2 and part of 3 activities of the entire supply chain, according to the scheme below, without considering the largest part of Scope 3 with is the purchase of space goods and services.
Scope definition and boundaries of the exercise
The recently launched questionnaire aims at collecting data from companies and economic operators allowing the evaluation and assessment of the European space sector carbon footprint, and to develop actions to reduce it.
Data shall refer to baseline year 2019 GHG emissions.
The questionnaire is accessible through the Interact application of the ESA-Star platform devoted to the interaction between the Agency and its suppliers. It is accessible at the following link: https://esastar-publication.sso.esa.int/interacts/details/15
More details about the registration for this purpose in ESA Star are available here: https://esastar-publication.sso.esa.int/news/details/695
