Context:

• Twelve nations and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed the Zero Debris Charter at the ESA/EU Space Council.

Objective:

• Achieve debris neutrality in space by 2030.

Unveiled:

• ESA Space Summit, Seville, November 2023.

Signatories:

• Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom, and ESA.

Need for the Charter:

• Current Situation: Over 1 million pieces of space debris larger than 1 cm orbit Earth.
• Risk: Each piece can cause catastrophic damage to space assets.
• Action Required: Immediate and decisive steps to ensure sustainable space activities.