Environmental Crimes
Environmental Crimes supports European industry with proof-of-concept studies and pilot projects for commercial space-based services that detect environmental crime, trace goods and verify compliance.
Funder: European Space Agency
Due Dates: October 19, 2026 (Opens) | October 21, 2026 (Webinar) | June 25, 2027, 13:00 CEST (APQ deadline)
Funding Amounts: Zero-equity co-funding of up to 50–80% of activity costs, depending on SME status and Member State approval
Summary: Supports proof-of-concept studies and pilot projects developing space-based commercial services to detect, trace and verify environmental crime.
Key Information: Full Proposals require written funding authorisation from the relevant National Delegation(s).
Description
ESA’s Environmental Crimes call, under ACCESS Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS), supports European industry in studying, developing and demonstrating pre-operational commercial downstream services. Projects should help organisations, enforcement bodies and corporate users detect environmental risks, trace goods and materials, or independently verify compliance and sustainability claims.
Focus areas include environmental fraud and greenwashing, wildlife trafficking, illegal fishing and maritime dumping, unauthorised mining, waste crimes and pollution. The use cases also cover illegal logging and deforestation. Applicants may propose other commercial concepts directly addressing environmental crime. Satellite Earth observation, navigation or communications must be essential to the service. The emphasis is on practical market demand, active user support, sustainable commercial models and measurable advantages over terrestrial alternatives—not pure academic research.
