SPACE AS A NEW SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL?

Hello and welcome to the blog!

This post is to join issues with the "Space for all" team who are currently working on implementing Space as an 18th Sustainable development goal on the Agenda of the United Nations.

I wrote this paper with 3 of my colleagues from the Institute of Air and Space Law at Leiden University as a blog to be published on the Leiden Law Blog. The credits are given at the end of the blog.

Thanks for reading and sharing!

             

So, the topic at hand, What is the UN SDG'S? (In another post, I discuss the already 17 goals and how space technology influences them)

In a bid to produce a set of universal goals to meet the urgent environmental, political and economic challenges facing the world, the United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2012. Whilst these goals are not internationally binding, they are aligned with humankind’s transition towards a future of equality. Although the international community largely recognizes that achieving the prescribed 17 SDGs will require a strengthened commitment to partnership and cooperation, some sects are now promoting the notion of including Space as the 18^th SDG.

                         

Whilst there is value in this discourse, since the preservation of outer space is the “Common heritage of all mankind”, we hold the view that these ideas might be misconceived as the thoughts of including outer space as an SDG at this time might shift the international focus away from equality on Earth, undermine the current efforts within the international community and implement an additional non-legally binding framework that will ultimately lead to a patchwork governance of outer space.

Equality on Earth or Inequality in Space

As earlier affirmed, the 17 SDGs embody a common global vision representing economic, environmental and political targets and challenges for developed and developing countries alike. Differing from the Millennium Development Goals, SDGs seek action from all Countries. However, the international discourse has naturally and correctly concentrated on the needs of developing Countries and the support, they will need from the international community in achieving these goals. This discourse reflects the fundamental goal of the SDGs: that no one is left behind.

In light of that central purpose, developed nations should support their lesser-developed neighbors by assisting in the implementation of strategies that seek to build economic growth and address diverse social needs. It is against this backdrop that we submit that putting Space on the UN agenda might thwart the realization of these strategies and delay the realization of the 2030 Agenda and extend the disparities on Earth into outer space. The main focus should instead be facilitating Spacefaring nations in their pursuit to ending poverty, inequality and towards advancing their own space capabilities.

Therefore, we propose that Space should not be allocated a position on the current SDG agenda at this time, but should be left to continue as a support tool utilized by developed countries as well as the wider international community towards the attainment of the 17 SDGs currently on the UN Agenda.

                         

Space Matters

The UN SDGs reflect the ambition of the international community to mitigate the societal challenges that obstruct human development and universal equality alongside an ever-growing global economy and ever-advancing technological progress. 

Since every one of the 17 SDGs are immensely supported by space technologies, continued reliance upon the outer space realm is inevitable. Coming mostly from services provided by satellites, including infrastructure monitoring, mapping capabilities and internet connectivity, it is clear that action ought to be taken so as to preserve its environment and ensure humankind’s continued access to such capabilities. 

Recognizing the importance of utilizing space in this regard, UNOOSA is already building components of the multi-stakeholder global space partnership for the SDGs. Within its capacity, UNOOSA has built space capacity for non-space-faring countries, coordinated activities using space-related technology to improve human conditions globally and provided advice relating to space law and policy. The actions of UNOOSA reflect a common movement that should mitigate the current political stalemate regarding the legal status of outer space; this further demonstrates why adopting Space as an 18^th SDG is unnecessary.

Non-Legal Answers to Very Legal Questions

With that being said, allocating Space an independent position on the UN SDG agenda would promote awareness regarding the benefits of space, potentially driving international discourse towards the subsequent and necessitous establishment of legislative reform and new space legislation. However, this will likely already be achieved by the aforementioned efforts of UNOOSA. 

Until legal clarification can be given to the ambiguous legislation that currently dominates the exploration and use of outer space (Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies), there is no need for an additional non-legally binding framework to be introduced. Introducing a further non-legally binding framework to the domain of outer space is futile and might protract the ultimate goal of establishing internationally binding documents.

CONCLUSION.

The main conclusion of this post is that while many developing countries have made targeted efforts for enhancing domestic resource mobilization and private sector development, at this time asking that they include another UN SDG project might be asking them to take on too much. However, when answering the question whether the time to include Space as a UN SDG is now, the answer to it is that only time will tell.

CREDITS:

HANNAH CRAWFORD

GONZALO TORRES PICAZO

 EMRE CAN ERDAL

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