<scp>EU</scp> Space Law and Earth's Boundaries: Integrating Environmental Impact Assessment and Corporate Due Diligence

ABSTRACT The European Union's proposed Space Law aims to establish a unified approach for sustainable space activities across the EU. While the EU's satellite constellations contribute to sustainability efforts, they can also have negative environmental impacts. This article argues that to address the challenges of space environment sustainability and the impact of space activities on Earth's planetary boundaries (EPB), the EU Space Law should incorporate environmental impact assessments (EIA) and public‐private governance measures tailored for the space sector. The article examines potential interactions among EU space activities and existing legal frameworks, such as the outer space law regime, the EU's EIA Directive, and corporate social responsibility developments, including the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). The analysis focuses on the relationship between the EPB approach and outer space activities, due diligence and strict liability in relation to intergenerational equity and future generations in international law, and the applicability of EIA and corporate governance to the emergent EU Space Law. The article emphasizes the importance of incorporating environmental and social considerations into the governance of space activities to protect outer space‐Earth complex systems.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Global Policy
Published
2025-06-02
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.70020
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Space exploration and regulation
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.15

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

EU Space Law and Earth's Boundaries: Integrating Environmental Impact Assessment and Corporate Due Diligence

Elena Cirkovic, Vitali Braun
1 citations
Global Policy
Space exploration and regulation
1.15
article

EU Space Law and Earth's Boundaries: Integrating Environmental Impact Assessment and Corporate Due Diligence

Elena Cirkovic, Vitali Braun
article en
1 citations

Abstract

ABSTRACT The European Union's proposed Space Law aims to establish a unified approach for sustainable space activities across the EU. While the EU's satellite constellations contribute to sustainability efforts, they can also have negative environmental impacts. This article argues that to address the challenges of space environment sustainability and the impact of space activities on Earth's planetary boundaries (EPB), the EU Space Law should incorporate environmental impact assessments (EIA) and public‐private governance measures tailored for the space sector. The article examines potential interactions among EU space activities and existing legal frameworks, such as the outer space law regime, the EU's EIA Directive, and corporate social responsibility developments, including the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). The analysis focuses on the relationship between the EPB approach and outer space activities, due diligence and strict liability in relation to intergenerational equity and future generations in international law, and the applicability of EIA and corporate governance to the emergent EU Space Law. The article emphasizes the importance of incorporating environmental and social considerations into the governance of space activities to protect outer space‐Earth complex systems.

Global Policy
European Space Operations Centre (DE), Aarhus University (DK)
Aarhus Universitet
Openalex Percentile: Top 19%
Space exploration and regulation
1.15
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

<scp>EU</scp> Space Law and Earth's Boundaries: Integrating Environmental Impact Assessment and Corporate Due Diligence — Elena Cirkovic, Vitali Braun · Global Policy (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS