Strengthening The Environmental Element In The Space Sector
- Paper number
IAC-07-E6.3.02
- Author
Ms. Lotta Viikari, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Finland
- Year
2007
- Abstract
This paper examines possibilities to create better mechanisms for the purpose of environmental regulation of space activities. In compliance with the recommendations of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the Vienna Declaration of Space and Human Development, the paper concentrates in particular on prospects of introducing systems which are increasingly inclined towards sustainable use of outer space. It centers primarily on the potential for negotiating new instruments of international law and/or for introducing more environmentalist elements into existing treaty regimes. The analysis draws on experiences from a variety of multilateral treaty negotiations in different areas - bearing in mind, however, that each case has its specific characteristics which necessitates cautiousness when making use of potential analogies. Given the inherent complexity of the space sector, the paper does, moreover, try to avoid the presupposition that the legal approach always is the best way to solve complications in the international system: in addition to international conventions and other legal mechanisms, also other co-operational means for ameliorating environmental problems are discussed. Such an approach seems particularly suitable because space utilization is a sector where legal conceptions are fed by many other disciplines (natural sciences, politics, economics, etc.), and it involves also many other stakeholders than those directly related with governmental authorities. Hence the paper aims to present innovative prospects for the future development of the international regulation of space activities from an environmental point of view, yet in a feasible way. Moreover, it examines the fundamental assumptions on which the current attempts aiming at alleviation of environmental degradation caused by human space activities are based. Without understanding motives for endeavors to curb environmental degradation of outer space it is impossible to suggest feasible improvements to address the problem.
- Abstract document