The Role of the United Nations in Solving the Problem of Space DebrisBregač, Miha (Avtor) Sancin, Vasilka (Mentor) IADCNASAOuter Spacethe Outer Space Treatythe Space Debris Mitigation Guidelinesthe United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Spacethe United Nations Office for Outer Space AffairsSpace Debris.In less than 100 year of space exploration, space debris has become a growing problem to future space travel and exploration. Collisions of space debris with satellites and among themselves create new debris, which is slowly closing safe access to outer space and the loss of operational satellites that enable everyday life on Earth. The United Nations (hereinafter UN) raised this issue already a decade ago, but national and economic interest of States' prevailed over common concerns. This Master’s thesis initially presents the UN, its body – The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, which is the forum to deal with the problem of space debris, and the Office for Outer Space Affairs with its headquarters in Vienna, presenting the institutional framework of addressing the problem of space debris. The second part of the thesis is dedicated to space debris, its creation and the danger it causes in nearby orbits around the Earth. The third, which is also the main part of the thesis, presents legal solutions to the problem with some possible technical solutions. After a review of the current legal situation, possible future legal solutions are presented, from establishing a new international agency intended solely to handle space debris and a new treaty, which would precisely regulate the issue of space debris, to the transition of current, non-binding solutions into customary international law. The current state activities show, that States are slowly realizing the dangers of space debris and have already started to work together.20172017-02-14 07:15:03Magistrsko delo/naloga89081sl