From 18-21 June, ESA joined the international community at UNISPACE+50 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and highlight past and future Agency activities in support of the UN’s space-related actions. 

UNISPACE+50 brought together the international community, and reflected on the past and future of space activities around the world. While celebrating five decades’ achievement in space, the multi-track event also helped shape the UN’s comprehensive ‘Space2030’ agenda. ESA experts joined global partners in providing knowledge and inspiration for this crucial document as we look to a future where sustainable use of space can help with sustainability on Earth.

The Space2030 agenda will map out how spaceflight and space-related activities can help achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), addressing overarching, long-term development concerns, through the peaceful exploration and uses of outer space. The SDGs were adopted in 2015 and cover a wide range of topics, from health and wellbeing, to protection of the environment and gender equality.

ESA and UN goals

ESA actively supports its Member States by providing coordination support activities and supplying technical expertise. ESA actively implements UN space treaties, principles and guidelines and shares best practices in the area of long-term sustainable use of outer space.

Over the past few years, a new focus has been placed on the Sustainable Development Goals and the mapping of Agency programmes and activities relevant to these SDGs.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

At UNISPACE+50, the ESA Director General, Jan Wörner, took a look forward to opportunities to work closely with the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and international partners to bring forward greater tangible benefits for sustainable development out of the investments of ESA Member States in programmes and activities.

ESA participation in UNISPACE+50

Director General Wörner joined national leaders and government ministers, European and international lawmakers, astronauts, scientists and policy experts in the UNISPACE+50 celebrations.

A special high-level panel was organised together with other heads of space agencies, and a new joint statement on cooperation between ESA and UNOOSA on SDGs and capacity building was signed.

Concurrently, specialists from the Agency took part in a series of panels, sessions and meetings, ensuring that ESA expertise supports UNISPACE+50 and the Space2030 agenda.

ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli presented a flag representing the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals that he took with him to the International Space Station in 2017 to showcase the many contributions of space towards the SDGs.