Outer Space Treaty reform and the long-term sustainability of space exploration

Nahtigal, Matjaž (author)

The challenge of ensuring the space environment’s long-term sustainability in the context of the exploration and commercialisation of outer space raises several important issues and dimensions with respect to both international environmental law and sustainable development. The research question analyses the extent to which such exploration benefits humanity and expands the province of all humankind. In this article, historical achievements of the international legal framework governing the area of space exploration are presented. Opportunities for further developing and strengthening this framework to ensure the cooperative, transparent, inclusive and equitable development of space exploration are deliberated, notably those that do not limit the interests and opportunities of space-faring countries. The key finding and proposition of this article is that while discussing the need to improve and strengthen the international regulatory framework, developing countries’ needs and interests should also be effectively incorporated. More equitable, inclusive and sustainable development is as much in the interest of developed countries as it is of developing countries.

• Language: English
• Keywords: human freedoms, protection of rights, the state, the role of the state, space treaty, space exploration, commercialization of space, international environmental law, sustainable research
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2022
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: Str. 42–59, 167,
• Numbering: Letn. 59, št. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-138689
• UDC: [341.24:341.229]:[502.131.1:524.8]
• ISSN on article: 0040-3598
• DOI: 10.51936/tip.59.1.42-59
• COBISS.SI-ID: 108462595
• Publication date in RUL: 09.08.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Teorija in praksa : revija za družbena vprašanja
• Shortened title: Teor. praksa
• Publisher: Fakulteta za družbene vede
• ISSN: 0040-3598
• COBISS.SI-ID: 763652

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Reforma Pogodbe o vesolju in dolgotrajno trajnostno raziskovanje vesolja

Abstract

Izziv, kako zagotoviti dolgoročno trajnostno delovanje v vesolju v kontekstu vesoljskih raziskav in komercializacije, ustvarja z vidika mednarodnega prava okolja ter trajnostnega razvoja vrsto vprašanj. Raziskovalno vprašanje analizira obseg, koliko tovrstne vesoljske raziskave prispevajo k dobrobiti človeštva in krepitvi razvoja vseh. V članku so prestavljeni zgodovinski dosežki obstoječega mednarodnega pravnega okvira. Podani so razmisleki o priložnostih, kako krepiti mednarodni okvir za zagotovitev sodelovanja, za transparenten, vključujoč in enakopraven razvoj vesoljskih raziskav, ne da bi omejevali interese in priložnosti vodilnih držav na področju vesoljskih raziskav. Ključna ugotovitev in predlog članka sta, da je potrebno v razpravah o izboljšavah in krepitvi mednarodnega regulatornega okvira upoštevati potrebe in interese razvijajočih se držav ter jih učinkovito vključevati. Bolj enakopraven, vključujoč in trajnostni razvoj je v interesu razvitih in razvijajočih se držav.

• Keywords: pogodba o vesolju, raziskovanje vesolja, komercializacija vesolja, mednarodno pravo okolja, trajnostno raziskovanje

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P5-0177-2022
• Name: Slovenija in njeni akterji v mednarodnih odnosih in evropskih integracijah