Speakers
Description
ESA strives for being the role model for a modern global space agency fully committed to improve the sustainability and social responsibility of space activities by:
Increasing the contribution of its projects to the sustainable development of society (Agenda 2025: “(…) ensure that ESA and European space programmes can support the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal to the fullest extent.”)
Ensuring the socially & environmentally responsible management of its activities (Agenda 2025: “The Agency will improve its own environmental responsibility, to contribute to the climate neutrality of Europe. By 2030, ESA’s greenhouse gas emissions will be decreased by 46.2% for Scope 1, 2 and 28% for Scope 3 if compared to 2019.”)
To implement this vision, the Agency has adopted an ESA Green Agenda (EGA) along five high-level objectives and is updating its organizational carbon footprint on a yearly basis.
The main objective of the presentation is to demonstrate how LCA and Ecodesign activities contributes and are considered essential to reach the ESA Green Agenda targets.
In particular, LCA knowledge is essential to:
(1) Lower the uncertainty of calculation of the GHG assessment Scope 3 emissions categories so called “Purchase of goods and services “ and “Use of sold products” (GHG Protocol standard denomination),
(2) Identify the rights levers at corporate levels and,
(3) Put into lights environmental impacts knowledge gaps.
Therefore, the presentation will focus on the complementarity of the two approaches and the ESA wide approach towards environmental impact reduction of space systems and ESA Green Agenda success.
A specific focus will be given on the methodological development associated to GHG assessment Scope 3 emissions categories so called “Purchase of goods and services “ and “Use of sold products”. Strengths and weak points of the methodology will also be discussed as well as potential future improvement through upcoming case studies.
In addition, relevance of the methodology towards more robust calculation of Scope 3 and in particular in anticipation to European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) for the Space Industry will be addressed.
Finally, as part of the methodology, other positive effects on the environment and on the sustainable development of society at large, such as contribution to the European Green Deal objectives and UN Sustainable Development Goals, will also be addressed.
