The Role of Space in Ensuring Long Term Sustainability on Earth
- Paper number
IAC-07-E5.3.01
- Author
Dr. Serge Plattard, European Space Policy Institute (ESPI), Austria
- Year
2007
- Abstract
Present living conditions are considerably higher in comparison to what they were a hundred years ago. Yet, with more technology, higher population density, greater mobility etc., the number of identified threats to long term sustainability on Earth, hence, human kind has risen significantly. These threats are of different nature: weather catastrophes, earthquakes, drastic climate change and thus sea level change and polar caps melting, depleting water and energy resources, environmental stress, air and water pollution, pandemics, just to name a few. Moreover, besides these natural and anthropogenic factors outer space itself can also pose a threat, for instance, collisions with celestial objects, space debris, and perhaps one day space weaponry. There had been more developments and changes in the past century than there have been in the previous thousand years. Therefore, in order to ensure sustainability on Earth it is important to study different ways that would help to prevent and mitigate various possible threats. Space, for instance, has considerably enhanced daily life. Many space applications give us deeper understanding of our planet and its complexity. Comprehending interactions of oceans, landmasses, and atmosphere develops a sense of responsibility for Earth and its ecosystem. Fascinating discoveries in the universe are fulfilling scientist’s wildest dreams as much as they are opening the door to new possibilities. Realizing that with space exploration/utilisation and technological innovations quality of life on earth improves (i.e. weather forecasts, crop monitoring environment management, telecommunication, navigation, etc.), question arises: can the space tool play a decisive role in monitoring, assessing, preventing and mitigating mentioned disasters? Or will it simply become yet another threat we, humans, will have to protect ourselves from? The presentation will review several of these foreseeable threats to humankind and sustainability of Earth as well as what could be the contribution of space tools to contain or mitigate them. The presentation will also address the process of learning what could be done and how in order to ensure long term sustainability on Earth and what kind of long term planning might be necessary from the policy point of view on the matter of Earth governance.
- Abstract document