The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) have signed a landmark Joint Declaration to promote the use of space-based data and technologies for inclusive and sustainable industrial development.
The agreement, signed during the 69th Session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in Vienna, strengthens cooperation between the two UN organizations and aims to transform space capabilities into practical solutions for industries and communities worldwide.
The partnership will focus on using satellite data and space technologies to support key areas such as sustainable supply chains, food systems, digital connectivity, renewable energy, climate resilience, and smart cities. It will also help improve disaster forecasting, digital inclusion, and monitoring of progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller highlighted that space technologies can provide critical data to help communities respond to climate challenges, strengthen infrastructure, improve productivity, and support resilient industrial growth. UNOOSA Director Aarti Holla-Maini emphasized that space technology has become essential infrastructure for sustainable development.
The Joint Declaration will serve as the foundation for Space4Industry, a UNIDO–UNOOSA global platform designed to bring space-based solutions to developing and climate-vulnerable economies. The initiative will focus on climate-resilient infrastructure, low-carbon digital production, and circular, climate-smart value chains.
An early example of this work is already underway in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul region, where satellite imagery and digital twin technology are being used to improve industrial and community resilience against future climate-related disasters.
The collaboration supports broader UN efforts to increase cooperation and deliver measurable results through innovative partnerships. UNIDO and UNOOSA plan to expand the initiative in the coming years, helping countries use space technologies to build more sustainable, connected, and resilient industries.
