Disaster management as a tool to bring space closer to people - legal aspects & the contribution of GMES
- Paper number
IAC-06-E6.2.01
- Author
Mrs. Tanja Masson-Zwaan, IISL Secretary, The Netherlands
- Year
2006
- Abstract
As 'un-original' as it may seem, the Tsunami of 26 December 2004 is also the starting point for my paper. The Tsunami has indeed been a major turning point for Humankind; people of the world truly came together to solve problems that affected them all - it is to be hoped that this shared feeling of togetherness will last forever. The theme of this IAC is "Bringing space closer to people" - and it is a sign of the times that similar themes have applied to previous IAC's. This goes to show that space programmes today, in order to be 'accepted' by the tax-payers, should have some kind of practical relevance (of course this is not meant to underestimate space exploration programmes which are equally important, but sometimes harder to grasp for the man in the street!). The creation of the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters in 2000, just after UNISPACE III, provided a good basis for states to work together in the field of disaster management. Several scholars have analysed the legal aspects of the Charter, its non-binding character, and the relevance of principles of humanitarian law. This paper will focus on other instruments and principles, such as the possible contribution of the European GMES programme Indeed, it must be recognised that each region of the world will have its own specific contribution to disaster management, and if all concentrate of what they do best, we can make a truly global and efficient effort to prevent useless loss of life. The contributions and discussions at the forthcoming IISL-ECSL Symposium on Disaster Management at the Legal Subcommittee in Vienna will also be analysed in this context.
- Abstract document