Expanding use of space is an opportunity for sustainability but a threat to resilience
Green and digital transition policies that increasingly rely on satellites and the utilization of the near-Earth space contain an overlooked contradiction between sustainability and resilience: although satellite services increase sustainability on Earth by accelerating green and digital transition,...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Resilience Alliance
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol30/iss2/art6 |
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| _version_ | 1850108782313472000 |
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| author | Minna Palmroth Janne I Hukkinen |
| author_facet | Minna Palmroth Janne I Hukkinen |
| author_sort | Minna Palmroth |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Green and digital transition policies that increasingly rely on satellites and the utilization of the near-Earth space contain an overlooked contradiction between sustainability and resilience: although satellite services increase sustainability on Earth by accelerating green and digital transition, the use of space renders the green and digital infrastructures vulnerable to space weather events. We show that an extreme near-Earth space event may significantly disturb the global sustainability transition. The resilience of green and digital infrastructures on Earth is threatened because of their tight operational coupling with satellite technologies and the contingencies of near-Earth space dynamics. To safeguard the emerging infrastructures with sufficient prediction capabilities, we recommend measures to enhance sociotechnical resilience and new space physics missions to improve our understanding of critical near-Earth space dynamics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-337a61a950db4d058b75db3bd4de5213 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1708-3087 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Society |
| spelling | doaj-art-337a61a950db4d058b75db3bd4de52132025-08-20T02:38:15ZengResilience AllianceEcology and Society1708-30872025-06-01302610.5751/ES-16056-30020616056Expanding use of space is an opportunity for sustainability but a threat to resilienceMinna Palmroth0Janne I Hukkinen1Department of Physics, University of HelsinkiFaculty of Social Sciences, University of HelsinkiGreen and digital transition policies that increasingly rely on satellites and the utilization of the near-Earth space contain an overlooked contradiction between sustainability and resilience: although satellite services increase sustainability on Earth by accelerating green and digital transition, the use of space renders the green and digital infrastructures vulnerable to space weather events. We show that an extreme near-Earth space event may significantly disturb the global sustainability transition. The resilience of green and digital infrastructures on Earth is threatened because of their tight operational coupling with satellite technologies and the contingencies of near-Earth space dynamics. To safeguard the emerging infrastructures with sufficient prediction capabilities, we recommend measures to enhance sociotechnical resilience and new space physics missions to improve our understanding of critical near-Earth space dynamics.https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol30/iss2/art6green and digital transitionreliabilityresiliencesustainable use of space |
| spellingShingle | Minna Palmroth Janne I Hukkinen Expanding use of space is an opportunity for sustainability but a threat to resilience Ecology and Society green and digital transition reliability resilience sustainable use of space |
| title | Expanding use of space is an opportunity for sustainability but a threat to resilience |
| title_full | Expanding use of space is an opportunity for sustainability but a threat to resilience |
| title_fullStr | Expanding use of space is an opportunity for sustainability but a threat to resilience |
| title_full_unstemmed | Expanding use of space is an opportunity for sustainability but a threat to resilience |
| title_short | Expanding use of space is an opportunity for sustainability but a threat to resilience |
| title_sort | expanding use of space is an opportunity for sustainability but a threat to resilience |
| topic | green and digital transition reliability resilience sustainable use of space |
| url | https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol30/iss2/art6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT minnapalmroth expandinguseofspaceisanopportunityforsustainabilitybutathreattoresilience AT janneihukkinen expandinguseofspaceisanopportunityforsustainabilitybutathreattoresilience |