Space applications are a game-changer in many sectors of the economy, and they have revolutionised the way services essential for socio-economic development are provided in many areas, from agriculture to transport or telecommunications. However, for these benefits to remain available, space activities themselves need to be sustainable. The concept of sustainability will be addressed from several angles, looking at how to ensure that activities in space will remain feasible for all stakeholders in the long-term despite the strong increase of the number of objects in Earth orbit, looking at how to make the space industry itself more aligned with environmental concerns on Earth, and looking at how space-based tools are essential enabler for sustainability initiatives on Earth.
The Workshop will provide a platform for discussion about how to increase capabilities in a sustainable way, explore innovative technologies and approaches to reduce the contribution of the space industry itself to the climate crisis, and increase awareness of technical means to improve the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. The Workshop will provide a platform for discussion about technical solutions already in use so that the benefits that space activities offer remain available in a wide range of applications. The main objectives of the Workshop are to:

1. Raise awareness of the various initiative to measure and predict the impact of space activities (spacecraft manufacturing, launch and re-entry) on the Earth environment;
2. Showcase changes in space engineering practices to reduce the carbon footprint of the space sector overall, with technical innovations for greener technologies, financing of innovations and regulatory incentives for their adoption;
3. Capacity building activities on space sustainability, especially from the perspective of new space faring countries and non-space faring countries keen to adopt best practices and preserve the sustainability of the space environment;
4. Share challenges and success stories to de-orbit spacecraft responsibly, such as technical de-orbiting methods and tools, to discuss what methods are the most effective;
5. Showcase success stories of technical coordination for space activities that have been impacting each other, such as astronomical observations and satellites operations, or activities of various nature on the surface of the Moon and Mars
6. Share information on innovative space-based applications and services contributing to environmental sustainability on Earth.

Presentations made during the Workshop will be published on the website of the Office for Outer Space Affairs, while the report of the Workshop and its recommendations will be distributed to the participants and to the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.

Speakers are selected via a call for abstracts.
Speakers and attendees will be selected up to the maximum capacity of the room, based on relevant professional or academic experience.

The workshop programme includes four types of formats:

• Keynote presentations given by invited speakers.
• Sessions during which presenters will make presentations followed by questions from the audience.
• Panels: roundtables during which speakers will have the opportunity to make short introductory statements, followed by a moderated panel discussion and questions from the audience.
• Networking opportunities.

Following the successful trial in 2023, the workshop will include a 'match-making' interactive activity between all participants.
The first draft programme will be published in September 2024.