ESA and the Arctic - The European Space Agency's contributions to a sustainable Arctic

Abstract

The Arctic has become an area of particular relevance, where manifold interests meet with particular challenges, such as the harsh environment, a limited infrastructure and a low population density. Since many years, the European Space Agency (ESA) supports its Member States with interests in the Arctic. A variety of ESA programmes are directly or indirectly targeting the Arctic area for scientific purposes, for a better understanding of the Arctic environment or to support other activities in the Arctic region, since many of the specific challenges of the Arctic can be addressed by space technology. Monitoring and assessing the Arctic environment are tasks best met with space systems. Satellite technology facilitates navigation and communication and improves marine safety, and it enables the comprehension of climate change impacts, which are particularly evident and dramatic in the Arctic. While the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs), which were adopted by UN Member States in 2015, apply globally, the Arctic is especially affected by the changing climate and thus considered to be of great interest to the European and international community. ESA fully supports and works towards attaining the SGDs, and has to this end created a toolbox to target each of the 17 goals. Given the technological capabilities of ESA as well as the Agency's commitment to the SDGs, ESA continues to strengthen its contributions towards a sustainable economic development in the Arctic. After providing a general introduction to the Arctic and its legal status, as well as an overview over different interests in the region, this paper details the numerous ways, in which space activities can contribute to the sustainable development and life in the Arctic. It then turns to retracing the specific steps taken in the European Space Agency, including the work of specific Arctic Task Forces, and gives an outlook on future projects in support of a sustainable Arctic.