Call for Proposals: Space-Based Solutions for Environmental Crimes
ESA's Call for Proposals funds innovative satellite-based solutions to detect, monitor, and verify environmental crimes, fostering operational services that improve on terrestrial methods.
Funder: European Space Agency
Due Dates: June 25, 2027: Activity Pitch Questionnaire (APQ) submission deadline
Funding Amounts: Zero-equity co-funding covering 50–80% of eligible project costs, depending on SME status and national approval; typical for proof-of-concept and pilot projects.
Summary: Supports development of space-based applications leveraging satellite data, positioning, and communications to detect, monitor, and verify environmental crimes.
Key Information: Proposals are assessed on a rolling basis; APQ is required for entry into the process.
Description
This opportunity from the European Space Agency (ESA) seeks innovative teams to develop and demonstrate space-based applications that address environmental crimes. The call is focused on leveraging satellite Earth Observation (SatEO), Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), and satellite communications (SatCom) to deliver solutions for detecting, monitoring, and verifying activities such as greenwashing, illegal wildlife trade, unregulated fishing, illicit mining, and waste-related offenses. The goal is to foster commercially viable, operationally ready services that provide measurable advantages over traditional terrestrial methods and support compliance with evolving environmental regulations.
Proposals must clearly articulate the use case(s) being addressed, demonstrate commercial viability, and leverage space assets as a core component of the solution. ESA prioritizes projects that can transition to sustainable business models and have clear market demand, especially those combining public sector and commercial (B2B) customer streams.
