ESA’S LIVING PLANET SYMPOSIUM 2025

On 24 June 2025, the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) took part in the high-level international plenary session "Breaking Barriers by Working Together in Earth Science", held during ESA’s Living Planet Symposium (LPS25) in Vienna. This session convened leading space agencies and organizations to reflect on the challenges and successes in fostering global cooperation in Earth observation (EO).

Representing the IAF, Executive Director Christian Feichtinger joined a distinguished panel of experts from NASA, JAXA, GISTDA, PhilSA, UNOOSA, the African Space Council, and UKSA. Moderated by Rune Floberghagen and Marie-Claire Greening of ESA, the session focused on strategies for overcoming institutional, technical, and policy-related barriers to building sustainable and impactful partnerships.

“As a neutral platform, the IAF brings together government, industry, academia, and emerging space actors,” Christian Feichtinger emphasized, “helping create the trust and continuity needed to build long-lasting international collaborations in EO and beyond.”

The session served as a powerful reminder that advancing Earth science and responding to climate challenges requires a collective, coordinated approach. The IAF remains dedicated to facilitating this dialogue and strengthening connections across the global EO community.