CEDS 2026 will bring together international leaders in Santiago, Chile, to discuss the sustainable future of space

The second International Conference on Space and Sustainable Development (CEDS) will take place on 27, 28 and 29 October 2026 in Santiago, Chile, a city that will host this international event dedicated to analysing the progress, opportunities and challenges facing the space sector in the 21st century.

The event will take place at the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (FCFM) of the University of Chile and will bring together national and international experts from the public sector, academia and industry, with the aim of fostering a multi-sectoral dialogue on the present and future of space development.

CEDS is the first conference in Chile organised by civil society specifically dedicated to this topic, and aims to strengthen cooperation and the exchange of knowledge regarding the peaceful, responsible and sustainable use of space. In line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Space Agenda 2030, the initiative seeks to create a meeting point for governments, international organisations, researchers and stakeholders from the space industry.

The 2026 edition will feature plenary sessions, round tables and panel discussions structured around four thematic areas: the opportunities and challenges of space development; the promotion of space science and technology; innovation and industrial development in the sector; and the recognition of space as part of humanity's heritage.

The official programme will bring together leading international representatives. Among the first confirmed speakers are: Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programmes at the European Space Agency (ESA), and Marco Antonio Chamon, President of the Brazilian Space Agency, as well as a yet-to-be-confirmed representative from the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), amongst other speakers to be announced shortly.

The relationship between CopernicusLAC Chile and CEDS

The Copernicus Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean (CopernicusLAC Chile) is a joint initiative of the European Union and the University of Chile, implemented by the university's Centre for Mathematical Modelling (CMM), which is responsible for organising CEDS.

CopernicusLAC Chile aims to bring the capabilities and benefits of the Copernicus Programme to the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, strengthening scientific and technological cooperation in the fields of Earth observation and the use of spatial information to address the region's environmental and territorial challenges.

Through an infrastructure for the storage, processing and distribution of satellite data, CopernicusLAC Chile promotes access to and the use of Earth observation data, developing specialised services in areas such as land cover and land use, urban atlases and coastal monitoring.

Furthermore, they are also collaborating on the organisation of the 'Digital and Green Innovation Action' conference, a global initiative of the European Union designed to accelerate the dual transition in Latin America and the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, by offering support to innovators, facilitating multi-stakeholder policy dialogues, and organising financial intermediation and advisory events to foster collaboration and investment.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is also a partner; it seeks to improve the quality of life in Latin America and the Caribbean by providing financial and technical support, conducting research and developing innovative solutions, and collaborating with countries and organisations to drive key development initiatives in the region.

The CEDS Conference forms part of the initiatives being promoted to strengthen international dialogue and cooperation on the sustainable development of the space sector. CopernicusLAC Chile helped organise the first edition of the International Conference on Space and Sustainable Development, held in 2024, and is participating once again in its second edition, thereby consolidating its ties with this international event.

CopernicusLAC Chile's participation in CEDS 2026 is directly linked to its mission to promote the use of space technologies and data as tools for tackling current challenges. In this context, the conference provides a forum for bringing together stakeholders from academia, international organisations, governments and the private sector, fostering the exchange of knowledge, experiences and opportunities for collaboration.

The conference is thus envisaged as a forum bringing together the international sustainability agenda and the capabilities offered by Earth observation and space technologies to understand and respond to the region's challenges.