ESA title

Sustainable Horizons Award

Motivation

This award aims to leverage Earth Observation (EO) technology in addressing global challenges, enhancing societal well-being, and fostering sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems. This includes improving health equity, promoting social justice, and enabling inclusive development, while also monitoring, mitigating, and adapting to the impacts of climate change.

The Sustainable Horizons Award was created to amplify the voices and efforts of those tackling pressing sustainability challenges with Earth Observation technology. By celebrating innovative and impactful projects, we hope to inspire broader action and drive tangible progress.

The award seeks to bring together a diverse range of participants—from grassroots organizations and startups to students and visionaries—offering them a platform to share their contributions and ideas. It’s more than just recognition; it’s about sparking dialogue, fostering collaboration, and empowering the next generation of sustainability leaders to make a lasting impact on our planet.

Prize

The winner will be granted with exclusive and free access to the Living Planet Symposium 2025 (LPS25), benefiting from:

  • your work being presented to a global audience of experts, industry leaders, and potential collaborators;
  • the opportunity to have a dedicated booth at LPS25, if applicable;
  • significant visibility and promotion (a crowd of over 5000 space enthusiasts per day is expected);
  • a tour of ESA’s Centre for Earth Observation (ESRIN) in Italy;
  • the opportunity to meet and discuss your project with the ESA director of Earth Observation and relevant world experts

This exposure is invaluable, especially for startups and emerging projects, offering a chance to connect with stakeholders and advance their initiatives.

Living Planet Symposium

The Living Planet Symposium (LPS) is among the world’s premier events on Earth observation. It is organized by the European Space Agency (ESA) every three years since 2013 and it is growing in both size and scope, edition after edition. The Living Planet Symposium 2025 (LPS25) will be in Vienna, Austria, from 23 to 27 June 2025, and it will emphasize transitioning from ‘observation to climate action and sustainability for Earth’. Over 5000 participants per day are expected to take part to the 2025 Edition in Vienna, Austria.

Who We Are

The Young ESA Environmental Committee is a team of young professionals, interns, and recent graduates at ESA, united by our commitment to sustainability and the desire to make a positive impact.

With diverse backgrounds and fresh perspectives, we were invited by the LPS organizers to help bring new ideas to the forefront and elevate projects that embody environmental responsibility. We believe in the power of innovation and collaboration to address global challenges, and through this award, we aim to support initiatives that are driving real change for a better future.


Submission Deadline & Next Steps

23 January 2025: application process opens.

17 March 2025: deadline for submissions of projects.

April 2025: review of the projects and selection of shortlist finalists

May 2025: finalists are presented online for public voting.

23-27 June 2025: winners are announced at LPS25!


Eligibility criteria
  • Projects shall be related to Earth Observation, to the exploitation of EO data, the improvement of methods or related technologies
  • The project should be preferably self-funded, at their first stage and supported by a risk analysis; projects that have been partially or fully implemented will not be considered.
  • Applicants shall be based in an ESA European Member State  (please visit https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/Member_States_Cooperating_States)
  • Clear Link to Social Sustainability: The project should directly contribute to improving social sustainability through its activities.
    • Examples of this are social justice and equity, health monitoring, food security, education and community engagement, climate change monitoring and carbon tracking, ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation, natural disaster prevention, and more.
  • Alignment with SDGs: Projects must align with one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), offering solutions to global challenges.
  • Scale: The project can operate at any scale—local, regional, or global.
  • Startups, NGO’s, individuals, and university organizations are strongly encouraged to apply. However, the competition is open for the public.