Role of COPUOS and UNOOSA in Global Space Governance
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Vienna, 5 September 2018 Role of COPUOS and UNOOSA in Global Space Governance Niklas Hedman/Aygul Duysenhanova United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs United Nations Office at Vienna www.unoosa.org Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Established by General Assembly in 1959 to govern exploration and use of space for the benefit of all humanity (& STSC + LSC) Instrumental in the creation of the five treaties and five principles of outer space, and important to strengthen the international legal regime governing outer space Provides a unique platform at a global level to monitor and discuss developments in the space agenda and space technology applications. Support efforts at national, regional and global level to maximize the benefits of the use of space science, technology and applications. Increase coherence and synergy in international cooperation in space activities at all levels Membership AG: Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia APG: Bahrain, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mongolia, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Viet Nam EG: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Ukraine GRULAC: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela WEOG: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, (Turkey), United Kingdom, (United States) 2018: Applications from Cyprus, Ethiopia, Finland, Mauritius and Paraguay COPUOS Mandates 1959: UN General Assembly resolution 1472 (XIV) reaffirmed the role of COPUOS and mandated the Committee to: • Review international co-operation • Study space-related activities that could be undertaken under United Nations auspices • Encourage and assist with national space research programmes • Study legal problems which may arise from the exploration of outer space COPUOS Agendas Space and Space and Disaster Space and Sustainable climate change Management Water Development Long-term space law and sustainability of Space Security UNISPACE+50 policy outer space and TCBMs activities Global Near-Earth Navigation Space Space and objects Satellite Weather Global Health Systems Five UN Treaties and Principles on Outer Space Outer Space Treaty, 1967 (107 States parties/23 signatories) Rescue Agreement, 1968 (96/23) Liability Convention, 1972 (95/19) Registration Convention, 1975 (67/3) Moon Agreement, 1979 (18/4) • Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Uses of Outer Space (1963) • Principles Governing the Use by States of Artificial Earth Satellites for International Direct Television Broadcasting (1982) • Principles Relating to Remote Sensing of the Earth from Outer Space (1986) • Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space (1992) • Declaration on International Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for the Benefit and in the Interests of All States, Taking into Particular Account the Needs of Developing Countries (1996) Application of the concept of the ”launching State” (resolution 59/115 of 10 December 2004) Recommendations on enhancing the practice of States and international intergovernmental organizations in registering space objects (resolution 62/101 of 17 December 2007) Recommendations on national legislation relevant to the peaceful exploration and use of outer space (resolution 68/74 of 11 December 2013) Space debris mitigation guidelines of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (annexed to 2007 COPUOS report A/62/20) Safety framework for nuclear power source applications in outer space (contained in A/AC.105/934 from 2009) COPUOS and Space Debris: Overview • Scientific and Technical Subcommittee (STSC) – Space debris included in agenda of STSC from 1994 – STSC work plan 1996-1998 on developing technical report on space debris STSC – STSC Technical Report on Space Debris adopted in 1999 (IADC) – STSC Working Group on space debris 2004-2006 – COPUOS Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines adopted in 2007 • Legal Subcommittee (LSC) – LSC agenda item “General exchange of information on national mechanisms relating to space debris mitigation measures” (2009) LSC – “General exchange of information and views on legal mechanisms relating to space debris mitigation measures, taking into account the work of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee” (from 2012) – Compendium of space debris mitigation standards (2014) – As of 2018 “space debris remediation” included in the agenda item 8 Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities • Core thematic areas: – Sustainable space utilization supporting sustainable development on Earth – Space debris mitigation, safety of space operations, tools to support space situational awareness – Space weather – Regulatory regimes and guidance for actors in the space arena • Interlink with the report of the Group of Governmental Experts on Transparency and Confidence-building Measures in Outer Space Activities (A/68/189) . Risk reduction notifications, inter alia, on manoeuvres that may result in risk to flight safety of other space objects; uncontrolled high-risk re-entry events; emergency situations; intentional orbital break-ups GGE report on TCBMs in outer space activities GGE-recommendations include information on national space policy, military expenditure, notifications on status of space objects, safety of space operations (including collision avoidance, scheduled manoeuvres, re-entry risks, emergency situations, intentional break-ups), hazards (natural), visits Resolution decides to refer the recommendations of the GGE report to COPUOS, Disarmament Commission and Conference on Disarmament (CD) for consideration, as appropriate (68/50 and follow up through 69/38, 70/53) UN-system coordination is encouraged by the resolution in operative paragraph 5; GGE report paragraph 66 recommends coordination between UNOOSA, UNODA and other appropriate UN entities. Structure Office of the Director (Ms. Simonetta Di Pippo) Register on Space Objects Public Outreach Youth Committee, Policy and Legal Space Applications Affairs Section Section (Mr. Niklas Hedman) (Mr. Luc St-Pierre) Programme on Space UN-SPIDER ICG Applications Beijing Vienna Bonn UNOOSA Mandates • Serves as substantive and administrative Secretariat to the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and Legal Subcommittee, including 6 current Working Groups on LTS, NPS, WGW, DEF/DEL, TRE, IMC. Serves as substantive Secretariat to the GA Fourth Committee on outer space agenda item • Discharges the responsibilities of the Secretary-General under the five UN treaties and five sets of principles on outer space. Maintains, on behalf of the Secretary- General the Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space • Leads the Inter-Agency mechanisms for coordination of space-related activities within the UN system (UN-Space) • Implements the United Nations Programme on Space Applications, including BSSI, BSTI, HSTI, GNSS and serves as Executive Secretariat to the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG), Secretariat of SMPAG • Is responsible for the implementation of the United Nations Platform for Space- based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN- SPIDER) programme • Operates a dedicated capacity-building programme on space law (space law curriculum, series of workshops, databases, education opportunities list) UN Programme on Space Applications • 1959: UN General Assembly created the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). To review the scope of international cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space. To devise the programmes in this field to be undertaken under the UN auspices. To encourage continued research & dissemination of information on outer space matters. To study legal problems arising from the exploration of outer space. • 1968: “UN Programme on Space Applications (PSA)” was established in response to recommendations of the first UNISPACE (UN Conference on Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space). • 1971: The Programme became operational. UNOOSA, as the Secretariat of COPUOS , was also given the responsibility for implementing the Programme. International Committee on GNSS (ICG) • Promote voluntary cooperation on matters of mutual interest related to civil satellite-based positioning, navigation, timing, and value added services • Encourage coordination among GNSS Providers to ensure greater compatibility, interoperability, and transparency • Promote the introduction and utilization of GNSS services in developing countries, by assisting with the integration into their infrastructure • Assist GNSS users with their development plans and applications, by encouraging coordination and serving as a focal point for international information exchange • Contribute to the sustainable development of the world UN-SPIDER Images from earth observing satellites help assess the damage caused by disasters and assess vulnerability to hazards. Satellite communications help warn people who are at risk, especially in remote areas. They help