Space PEFCR : Cosmos for Humanity is committed to a sustainable framework
0
0
0
A collective dynamic to measure the environmental impact of space travel
Since November 2024, Cosmos for Humanity has been actively involved in the development of the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) for the space sector, an initiative coordinated by the European Commission as part of its sustainable development approach.
The objective? To build a rigorous, measurable and common environmental framework to assess the impact of products from the space industry.
This work is being carried out within the Technical Secretariat (TS), a multidisciplinary group bringing together agencies, industrialists, researchers and NGOs, of which Cosmos for Humanity is proud to be a part.
Citizen participation in the environmental governance of space
On November 14, 2024, our team was in Brussels to participate in the first TS workshop, alongside major players in the space and environmental sector. This first step laid the foundations for an open and constructive dialogue on the ecological challenges related to the development of space activity.
We have expressed our commitment to representing the concerns of civil society in this process: the sustainability of space can only be considered by integrating a plurality of voices, including those of citizens.
Many thanks to the European Commission for recognizing this essential issue and for allowing us to contribute to it.
Towards a structuring methodology for the entire space sector
The second workshop was held in Brussels on December 10, 2024. This time, Cosmos for Humanity was represented by Fleur Montandon, CSR coordinator at our NGO. The discussions focused on the fundamental technical elements that will serve as the basis for future PEFCRs in the sector:
the definition of subcategories relevant to space products,
the identification of their key characteristics,
the development of functional reference units.
This preliminary work is crucial: it will enable working groups dedicated to each sub-category to be set up from January 2025. The mission of these groups will be to define modeling rules, identify representative products, and conduct environmental impact analyses.
A committed team and a clear message
This approach is in line with the mission of Cosmos for Humanity: to provide an independent, inclusive and committed voice in the sustainable transformation of the space sector.
We would like to extend our warmest thanks to all those who contribute to this dynamic, and in particular to:
Vera Pinto Gomes, Marina Tasiopoulos, An Vercalsteren, Carolin Spirinckx, An De Schryver, Marina Dumont, Jean-Loup Rondeau and Dr. Kat Hickey for their outstanding organizational and coordination work,
as well as Neta Palkovitz, Julien Weber, Vijay Thakur and all the members of our working group for the richness of the exchanges.
And then what?
We will continue to monitor and document our participation in this process throughout 2025. A third member of the PEFCR4Space team from Cosmos for Humanity will soon join the next workshops.
We are convinced that this collective approach will lay the foundations for a more responsible and transparent space sector that is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
