12 | Leadership Roundtable | Back to the Future The Power of Space Sustainability

How can nations ensure a sustainable future for space — while expanding access, innovation, and economic growth on Earth?

In this Leadership Roundtable from the 7th Summit for Space Sustainability, moderated by Krystal Azelton of the Secure World Foundation, senior leaders from ESA, Japan, and Brazil explore how policy, technology, and cooperation can keep pace with the growing complexity of the global space environment.

Speakers discuss the link between Earth and orbital sustainability, the role of national regulations and incentives, and how international coordination can accelerate responsible growth in space.

Featuring:
• Marco Antonio Chamon, President, Brazilian Space Agency (AEB)
• Shinichi Higuchi, National Space Policy Secretariat, Cabinet Office of Japan
• Holger Krag, Head of Space Safety Programme, European Space Agency (ESA)
• Moderator: Krystal Azelton, Secure World Foundation

Timestamps
00:36 – “Sustainability at large is in our DNA in Brazil.” – Marco Antonio Chamon (AEB)
02:24 – “Our new space law includes a section on space sustainability, mainly on debris mitigation and collision avoidance.” – Marco Antonio Chamon (AEB)
05:08 – “Japan’s basic space plan includes initiatives supporting debris mitigation and remediation.” – Shinichi Higuchi (Japan)
08:00 – “It’s just hard to build a system surviving for ten years in space and after that time reliably dispose and passivate the system.” – Holger Krag (ESA)
09:14 – “If you launch tens of thousands of spacecraft, that rule might not work anymore.” – Holger Krag (ESA)
13:31 – “Active debris removal enables safe, transparent, and sustainable orbit services.” – Shinichi Higuchi (Japan)
14:56 – “We are trying to include more and more space sustainability requirements in our programs.” – Marco Antonio Chamon (AEB)
16:20 – “Astronomy is funded by the government. At the same time, we are promoting large constellations that can be harmful for astronomy. So how to balance that?” – Marco Antonio Chamon (AEB)
18:06 – “Economic incentives are a good way to move forward in terms of space sustainability.” – Marco Antonio Chamon (AEB)
20:00 – “Overregulation can kill the economy; underregulation might not stimulate it enough.” – Holger Krag (ESA)
21:42 – “In-orbit servicing and circular economy in space are major topics these days.” – Holger Krag (ESA)
22:29 – “Space utilization cannot dump debris. The concept of sustainability cannot stop or slow down space utilization.” – Shinichi Higuchi (Japan)
25:23 – “Regulation is slow, and time is something we don’t have.” – Marco Antonio Chamon (AEB)
28:35 – “If you ask for one focal point, I would say COPUOS is where the discussions need to start.” – Marco Antonio Chamon (AEB)
29:01 – “There can only be one body with participation of all nations that can bring international rulemaking — and that is COPUOS.” – Holger Krag (ESA)
31:10 – “The Zero Debris Charter is a wish expressed by a wide community — civil states, industry, and academia.” – Holger Krag (ESA)
34:27 – “We need to include industry, academia, and NGOs in the discussion.” – Marco Antonio Chamon (AEB)
35:55 – “We need to face the conflict. Discussion is the way.” – Marco Antonio Chamon (AEB)
37:13 – “If we can go up and get one object down at reasonable cost, that will create a wave.” – Holger Krag (ESA)
38:11 – “We are still talking about information sharing. We are not moving fast enough.” – Marco Antonio Chamon (AEB)
38:44 – Announcement: The next Summit for Space Sustainability will be hosted by the Brazilian Space Agency, November 4–5, 2025, in Brasília, Brazil.

Highlights

“Sustainability at large is in our DNA in Brazil.” – Marco Antonio Chamon (AEB)

“Overregulation can kill the economy; underregulation might not stimulate it enough.” – Holger Krag (ESA)

“Economic incentives are a good way to move forward in terms of space sustainability.” – Marco Antonio Chamon (AEB)

“Space utilization cannot dump debris. The concept of sustainability cannot stop or slow down space utilization.” – Shinichi Higuchi (Japan)

“If you ask for one focal point, I would say COPUOS is where the discussions need to start.” – Marco Antonio Chamon (AEB)

“The Zero Debris Charter is a wish expressed by a wide community: civil states, industry, and academia.” – Holger Krag (ESA)

“We need to face the conflict. Discussion is the way.” – Marco Antonio Chamon (AEB)

“If we can go up and get one object down at reasonable cost, that will create a wave.” – Holger Krag (ESA)

Keywords / Tags
space sustainability, space debris, active debris removal, in-orbit servicing, circular economy in space, zero debris charter, COPUOS, ESA, Japan, Brazil, space law, regulation, policy, economic incentives, international cooperation, Secure World Foundation, SWF Summit Paris 2024

Watch more Summit for Space Sustainability sessions to hear how leaders are shaping the global future of space through technology, regulation, and collaboration.