FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Funding will be provided by the European Space Agency (ESA) for 6-month studies called ‘Kick-Starts’, which can lead onto larger scale Demonstration Projects. Kick-Starts are funded at 75% by ESA for a maximum of €75K per contract. Proposed services must use satellite data or space-based technologies. Please see the ‘Authorisation of Funding’ section below to check whether your team is eligible for funding.

THE CHALLENGE

Climate change has emerged as our society evolved towards modernisation, with the rise of industrialisation and technological advancement. Those trends induced new behaviours, attitudes and habits such as overconsumption with negative effects on the environment. In other words, climate change is the consequence of damaging cultural change. 

To counter the worst effects of climate change, many citizens are taking proactive actions that have a positive impact on the environment. These include waste reduction, choosing the train over the plane, and eating  less meat. Industry are also taking positive steps to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improve the water quality, etc, - all steps to mitigate climate change. But for our societies to become more sustainable, there needs to be a paradigm shift in mindset,  habits and even in beliefs in all quarters. In short, we must develop a culture of care for our climate. 

The World Bank and UNESCO have indicated  that education is the only way to raise awareness on climate change and its emergency. Only  when they are aware of the consequences of their actions, will citizens adapt their behaviours accordingly. Additionally, research demonstrated that less educated people are more vulnerable to the risks of climate change. Therefore, the global initiative of greening education partnership encourages the role of education in tackling the climate crisis. Greening the school curriculum provides students with the right tools and solutions to show resilience towards the climate change risks. It also helps them develop green skills and become qualified for green jobs. Education is not only crucial for students, but it also aims to sensitise citizens, governments, cities and communities. Hence, the greening education partnership is deployed around three further pillars: 

• greening curricula
• greening teacher training and education systems’ capacities 
• greening communities

The scope of this Kick-Start theme is to evaluate the technical feasibility and commercial viability of space-based innovations that trigger cultural change by raising awareness on climate change and providing mitigating actions. The overarching goal is to contribute to the development of a sustainable society and prepare the next generation to face tomorrow’s challenges. Space-based solutions offer a unique opportunity to educate and raise awareness about the climate emergency, to share tools and knowledge, and to forecast weather catastrophes.

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