Astronomical research facilities, such as telescopes, are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gases, however, are not the only threat weighing on humanity, as researchers have identified nine planetary boundaries that condition the environmental stability of the Earth system. It turns out that human activities have already breached six of the nine planetary boundaries, pushing the Earth system outside its stable state that has allowed human civilizations to arise, develop and thrive.
It therefore becomes urgent to determine all environmental impacts of human activities, including those of astronomical research, to identify avenues for impact reductions. This is what an interdisciplinary scientific team, led by researchers from IRAP/OMP (CNRS Earth & Space) and LGC (CNRS Engineering), has just done for the first time through a Life Cycle Analysis of a telescope that will soon be installed on the island of La Palma, in Spain.
The study shows that greenhouse gas emissions and the depletion of natural resources are the main environmental impacts of the telescope. The analysis suggests that the telescope will emit 2660 (± 274) tCO2e over its life cycle, of which 44% originate from construction, 1% from installation and commissioning, and 55% from operations during 30 years.
Greenhouse gas emissions could be cut by 46% if the telescope were powered by renewable energy instead of the diesel generators currently in place on the island. Additional ways to reduce environmental impacts include decreasing the number of electronic components in the camera, utilizing less energy-intensive manufacturing processes, and using recycled materials. The study also underscores the importance of considering environmental impacts during the telescope design phase. In line with this, the team behind the study, published in Nature Astronomy, suggests including environmental budgets within project specifications to limit and manage environmental impacts effectively.
Contact A4E member Jürgen Knödlseder for more information.
