Abstract
Space sustainability is a concept that has emerged within the past 10 years to refer to a set of concerns relating to outer space as an environment for carrying out space activities safely and without interference and also to concerns about ensuring continuity of the benefits derived on Earth from space activities. As such, it encompasses the concerns of both space actors and those who are not space actors but who nevertheless benefit from space activities. This chapter reviews the role of the various relevant United Nations entities in ensuring space sustainability and provides a detailed review of the Working Group on the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities within the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of COPUOS. Finally, the chapter discusses the relationship of the work in UN COPUOS with related work being done in the Conference on Disarmament, the UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in Outer Space Activities, and the initiative by the European Union to propose a draft international Code of Conduct for outer space activities.
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Notes
- 1.
Notwithstanding the preeminent role of States in the legal framework of outer space activities, it is worth reflecting on the contribution of civil society to the discussion on space sustainability, since this sector is playing an increasingly prominent and catalytic role in space activities and is in some respects more responsive to the rapidly changing space arena than the “traditional” fora established by States. This sector also has access to a great deal of expertise, particularly in the conduct of space operations.
- 2.
It may be observed that this de-linking of disarmament issues and other space issues results in a “silo” approach to space issues in the UN).
- 3.
The full texts of these treaties are available on the UN OOSA website at http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/oosa/en/SpaceLaw/treaties.html
- 4.
The full text of all these resolutions is available online in the six official languages of the UN at http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/oosa/en/SpaceLaw/gares/index.html
- 5.
The UN Register of Space Objects is accessible online at http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/SORegister/index.html
- 6.
COPUOS document A/AC.105/L.268 available at http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/COPUOS/ac105l.html
- 7.
Report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, fifty-fourth session (1–10 June 2011), UN General Assembly document A/66/20, Annex II.
- 8.
UN GA Resolution 65/68 available at http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/65/68
- 9.
US officials explained that their abstention did not reflect lack of support for TCBMs, but rather concern with language in the resolution that linked it to the Chinese-Russian draft PPWT. In her statement to the First Committee on 22 October 2012, the US Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament Laura Kennedy said: “The United States will also pursue pragmatic bilateral and multilateral transparency and confidence-building measures (TCBMs) to mitigate the risk of mishaps, misperceptions, and mistrust.” The full statement may be accessed at http://geneva.usmission.gov/2010/11/03/outer-space/
- 10.
Statement by US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on 17 January 2012, accessed at http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2012/01/180969.htm
- 11.
During the development of the draft Code, the EU held numerous bilateral consultations, but no multilateral consultations, until 5 June 2012, when the European External Action Service held an information session on the margins of COPUOS.
References
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Martinez, P. (2015). Space Sustainability. In: Schrogl, KU., Hays, P., Robinson, J., Moura, D., Giannopapa, C. (eds) Handbook of Space Security. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-2029-3_51
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-2029-3_51
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