UN COPUOS Working Group on the Long- Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities UPDATE

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1 UN COPUOS Working Group on the Long- Term UPDATE David Kendall Chair UN COPUOS Space Security Conference Celebrating the Outer Space Treaty: 50 Years of Space Governance and Stability 21 April 2017

2 COPUOS - Working Group on the Long-Term Established in 2010 after several years of discussion within the Committee and the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of COPUOS. Formally a Working Group of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee (STSC). WG Chair Dr. Peter Martinez (South Africa). To develop a set of best practices for space activities, focused on protecting the space environment.

3 Terms of reference* 8. The Working Group will examine the long-term sustainability of outer space activities in the wider context of sustainable development, including the contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, taking into account the concerns and interests of all countries, in particular those of developing countries, and consistent with the peaceful uses of outer space. 9. The work will take into consideration current practices, operating procedures, technical standards and policies associated with the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, including, inter alia, the safe conduct of space activities throughout all the phases of the mission life cycle. 10. The Working Group will take as its legal framework the existing United Nations treaties and principles governing the activities of States in the exploration and use of outer space, in particular article VI of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (Outer Space Treaty). *Annex II, A/66/20, Report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Fifty-fourth session (1-10 June 2011) 3

4 Objective and outputs* 11. The objective of the Working Group will be to identify areas of concern for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, examine and propose measures that could enhance sustainability in all its aspects, including the safe and sustainable use of outer space for peaceful purposes, for the benefit of all countries. 12. The Working Group will prepare a report on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities containing a consolidated set of current practices and operating procedures, technical standards and policies associated with the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, including, inter alia, the safe conduct of space activities. On the basis of all the information collected, the Working Group will aspire to produce the guidelines, which could be applied on a voluntary basis by States, either individually or collectively, international organizations, national nongovernmental organizations and private sector entities to reduce the risks to the long-term sustainability of outer space activities for all participants in those activities and to ensure that all countries are able to have equitable access to outer space and the resources and benefits associated with it. The report and the guidelines shall be submitted to the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee for its consideration. *Annex II, A/66/20, Report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Fifty-fourth session (1-10 June 2011) 4

5 Objective and outputs (contd.)* 13. The guidelines should: (a) Create a framework for possible development and enhancement of national and international practices pertaining to enhancing the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, including, inter alia, the improvement of the safety of space operations and the protection of the space environment, giving consideration to acceptable and reasonable financial and other connotations and taking into account the needs and interests of developing countries; (b) Be consistent with existing international legal frameworks for outer space activities, referred to in paragraph 10 above, and should be voluntary and not be legally binding; (c) Be consistent with the relevant activities and recommendations of the Committee and its Subcommittees, as well as of other working groups thereof, United Nations intergovernmental organizations and bodies and the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee and other relevant international organizations, taking into account their status and competence. *Annex II, A/66/20, Report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Fifty-fourth session (1-10 June 2011) 5

6 COPUOS - Working Group on the Long-Term Four Expert Groups formed: Sustainable space utilization supporting sustained development on Earth Space debris, space operations and tools to support collaborative space situational awareness Space weather Regulatory regimes and guidance for actors in the space arena.

7 The four expert groups delivered 17 guidelines and several states proposed a further number that the chair has concatenated into a total of 30 current guidelines. The proposed measures, to be compiled in a set of voluntary guidelines, will provide a foundation for the development of national and international practices and safety frameworks for conducting outer space activities, while allowing for flexibility in adapting such frameworks to specific national circumstances and organizational structures. The guidelines will address the policy, regulatory, organizational, scientific, technical, international cooperation and capacity-building aspects of space activities.* *A/AC.105/C.1/L.348, November 2015 (modified) 7

8 The current set of guidelines are grouped into four categories: A. Policy and regulatory framework for space activities (9 guidelines) B. Safety of space operations (15 guidelines) C. International cooperation, capacity-building and awareness (4 guidelines) D. Scientific and technical research and development (2 guidelines) It is to be noted that a previous guideline dealing with Implementation, Review and Updating of the Guidelines is now part of the preambular text. 8

9 Current Status (update from presentation in April 2016) a. A productive inter-sessional meeting of the Working Group was held on 6 and 7 June, 2016 as well as throughout the June COPUOS meeting. Substantial progress was made during this 2-week period. b. At the June 2016 meeting, the Committee agreed that consensus had been reached on the text of 12 of the guidelines and would constitute a first set of guidelines on which negotiations had been carried out and concluded. c. The Committee further agreed that the preambular text as well as 16 of the draft guidelines required further discussion on a priority basis with a view to developing a second set of guidelines which would be brought together with the preambular text and the first set of guidelines to form a full compendium of guidelines to be adopted by the Committee and referred to the General Assembly in 2018 to coincide with UNISPACE+50 (N.B. Three more guidelines have been added and one removed (dealing with implementation, review and updating), thus, 18 draft guidelines are currently being discussed by the Working Group). 9

10 Current Status (update from presentation in April 2016) (contd.) d. The mandate of the Working Group was extended to June 2018 along with a program of work. e. The Committee requested that the General Assembly note that the guidelines in the annex to the COPUOS report represented only a first set of guidelines, that a preambular text and a second set of guidelines would be completed, and that a full compendium of guidelines would be referred to the Assembly at its 73 rd session in f. The Committee noted that the first set of guidelines was now ready for States and intergovernmental organizations to consider implementing on a voluntary basis. g. The Committee agreed that it was important to develop a clear procedure for reviewing, amending and/or revising the guidelines (N.B. draft text already exists). h. The Working Group continues to meet during the STSC and Committee meetings as well as inter-sessionally, as required. 10

11 Future Considerations The future of the activity related to the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities is currently under consideration as part of the UNISPACE+50 exercise (reference: Panel 6). Within this exercise is a Thematic Priority related to Enhanced Information Exchange on Space Objects and Events. This Thematic Priority includes: Enhanced information exchange and notification procedures under the UN Register of Objects launched into Outer Space; Future guidelines for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities specifically addressing risk-reduction notification needs. Definition of this Thematic Priority is currently at a low level pending finalization of the report of the Working Group on LTS. It is anticipated that the Thematic Priority relating to global space governance will also be associated with this activity. 11

12 CONCLUSION COPUOS has been considering and developing a process relating to the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities for more than a decade. A Working Group on this topic was established in 2010 with a (twice extended) mandate to provide a report in This is a complex and challenging task given the wide scope of the topic and the divergent views of the member states. A final report and compendium of agreed upon guidelines is on track for presentation to UNGA in A number of the guidelines give expression to some of the recommendations in the GGE report. UNISPACE+50 will provide an opportunity to focus the COPUOS agenda to address current challenges and the changing nature of space, including aspects associated with future developments related to the Long-Term Stability of Outer Space Activities. 12