Sustainable Development

ESA has been fostering since years, and strongly intends to further foster, sustainable development on Earth via its programmes, data and services. Reduction of poverty, good health, provision of sufficient food and clean water, education for all, access to energy, economic development, adaptation to climate change… are among the main challenges that we all face on Earth. A lot of effort has gone into and much progress has been reached over the last years with millions of people coming out of extreme poverty. Still much has to be done.

Since the beginning of space applications, satellite programmes, data and services are among the tools that support the actors on Earth addressing sustainable development. It is one of our major priorities to support more and more those helping to address the many societal challenges we are facing.

With the adoption in September 2015 by the United Nations of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a set of 17 “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) have been defined to be achieved in each country by 2030. Analysing these goals, we can confirm that our programmes can support the achievement of each of them.

The catalogue of ESA activities supporting sustainable development can be found here.