PLANETSTEWARDS
Planetary Stewardship
in view of Earth-Space Sustainability
''An international project addressing sustainability challenges of our changing Earth-Space systems''
Depiction of Earth viewed from outer space seen with space debris.
THE PROJECT:
PLANETSTEWARDS
Activities in outer space have grown exponentially in recent years, led by an increasing variety of actors from technologically advanced states to billionaire companies and small ventures. While space-based infrastructures such as satellites are essential for basic operations on Earth, space technologies are also presented as the frontier of opportunities and solutions for addressing sustainability crises: global accessibility to the Internet with thousands of satellites, giant solar power stations in Earth’s orbit, resources near and on the Moon, and billionaires’ vision of building space settlements such as on Mars to prevent the extinction of human species. These developments impact sustainability on Earth and in space in various ways. Not only are there rising concerns over space congestion and debris in Earth’s orbit, technological and resource competition on other celestial bodies can cause environmental degradation on those objects, intensify political polarization, fragment sustainability narratives, and perpetuate global inequality. The relations between Earth and space sustainability problems have, therefore, become more intertwined than ever. The fundamental values, beliefs, and institutions that guide stewardship for sustainability require a paradigmatic shift towards simultaneously caring for Earth and space.
PLANETSTEWARDS is an ambitious ERC-funded project that addresses these pressing sustainability challenges on and beyond Earth. The project analyses and compares the co-existing stewardship approaches – as led by the government, market, science and engineering, or communities – to understand how they impact earth-space sustainability with implications on a planetary scale. Using novel methods, the project will formulate integrative strategies for future earth-space sustainability.
OBJECTIVES
Analyze the different approaches of planetary stewardship considering actors, values, and institutions.
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2
Compare the different approaches and unfold the intricate dynamics of their co-existence.
Explain how the approaches lead to positive and negative impacts on Earth and in space in terms of environmental and social dimensions.
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Specify the criteria for earth-space sustainability and propose transformative policy actions.
Image credit: NASA
METHODOLOGIES
Using a novel methodological framework, PLANETSTEWARDS investigates planetary stewardship approaches using advanced qualitative and semi-quantitative methods, through:
Process tracing and qualitative comparative analysis
Discourse and network analysis
Scenario building and futuring
The project uses a unique empirical design that covers a wide range of cases critical to earth-space sustainability, from Earth’s orbit to other celestial bodies.