Securing the Earth: Contested Discourses of an Earth Observation
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Securing the Earth: Contested Discourses of an Earth Observation Industry Ross M. Neil Department of Geography and Environmental Studies Carleton University © January, 2005 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 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The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. this thesis. Neither the thesis Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels de nor substantial extracts from it celle-ci ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement may be printed or otherwise reproduits sans son autorisation. reproduced without the author's permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformement a la loi canadienne Privacy Act some supporting sur la protection de la vie privee, forms may have been removed quelques formulaires secondaires from this thesis. ont ete enleves de cette these. While these forms may be includedBien que ces formulaires in the document page count, aient inclus dans la pagination, their removal does not represent il n'y aura aucun contenu manquant. any loss of content from the thesis. i * i Canada Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Abstract Earth observation technology is providing the means for humanity to envision and study the Earth as a single ecological system. This technology has also been used by states to project power and to secure access to strategic resources. A private-sector has now emerged in the United States and Canada that seeks to establish a global marketplace for satellite remote sensing imagery. The history, official policies and marketing strategies that define the activities of this industry indicate that discourses on sovereignty and security are important determinants to the trajectory that a commercial space industry will follow. This research suggests that an innovative and holistic regulatory framework is needed to balance private and public interests in space-based Earth observation and to ensure that the potential for this technology to inform on global ecological processes is realized for the common good. Resume Les technologies d'observation de la terre offrent a l'humanite les moyens voir la planete et de l'etudier comme un ecosysteme unique. Ces technologies ont egalement ete employees par certains etats dans le but de prevoir leurs forces futures et de s'assurer faeces a diverses ressources strategiques. Un secteur prive emergeant dans ce domaine aux Etats-Unis et au Canada cherche d'ailleurs a jeter les bases d'un marche global d'images satellitaires commandees a distance. L'histoire, les politiques officielles ainsi que les strategies commerciales qui definissent les differents volets de cette nouvelle industrie indiquent que les discours sur la souverainete et sur la securite sont des elements determinants dans la definition de la trajectoire que prendra le commerce industrie de l'espace. La presente recherche suggere la necessite de la creation d'un cadre reglementaire innovateur et holistique afin de balancer les interets publics et prives en ce qui a trait a l'observation de la terre depuis l'espace et pour s'assurer que le potentiel de ces technologies a foumir des informations sur les processus ecologiques globaux soit utilise pour le bien commun. - ii - Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Acknowledgements / Dedications The work presented in this thesis could not have been possible without the guidance and support of many people. I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Fraser Taylor, for first giving me the opportunity to pursue this work and then directing my efforts to complete it, largely from afar. He was an invaluable source of support and guidance throughout my graduate program. For financial support and the opportunity to engage in policy discussions regarding the military uses of outer space, I thank Dr. Jennifer Simons, the Simons Foundation, and Dr. Robert Lawson of Foreign Affairs Canada. I would also like to thank Doug King and Simon Dalby for further opening up the wide field of geographical enquiry to me - from remote sensing to environmental geopolitics. Kevin O’Neill from RSI graciously offered his time and expertise to answer my various questions concerning Radarsat applications. I also owe a debt of gratitude to my former supervisors and colleagues at the CNSC for allowing me to occasionally step out of my professional duties to engage in academic pursuits, for which they provided unwavering support and encouragement. My family and friends have continually provided the opportunity for adventures such as this one now completed, and the conversational space to critically reflect on society’s latest trends. Colin & Jen in particular provided a warm welcome during each of my visits. Foremost in my mind however is my mother Barbara who, as a geographer herself, inspired a passion for maps, language, culture and travel, and more than anything else, a deep appreciation for natural landscapes. My father Barry has also truly defined the term ‘commitment’ whether to a cause, a belief, or a person and it is this most important example that allowed me to ‘stick with it’ and persevere during difficult times. Lastly, but so important to the completion of my ‘first book’ and a constant companion on this exciting voyage has been Sabrina, whose encouragement, patience, kindness and interest has enabled me to explore, express and share my thoughts and sometimes rambling dreams. - iii - Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS T IT L E PA G E .........................................................................................................................................................................................I A BSTRA CT / R E S U M E .................................................................................................................................................................II A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S / D ED ICA TIO N S.......................................................................................................................Ill TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................................................................................... IV L IST O F F IG U R E S .........................................................................................................................................................................VI 1.0 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................................1 1.1 P r o b lem Identification ..............................................................................................................................................4 1.2 D o c u m en t St r u c t u r e .................................................................................................................................................10 2.0 BA CK G RO U N D AND H IS T O R Y .................................................................................................................................11 2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................11 2.2 P lacin g Ea rth Observation in its H isto r ic a l C o n t e x t ...........................................................................13 2.3 Spa c e T echnologies and t h e ir G round -E f fe c t s .......................................................................................... 19 3.0 THEORETCIAL FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................................................ 26 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 26 3.2 t e c h n o l o g y and R elationship t o H um an ity and Na t u r e .......................................................................28 3.3 T h e P o w e r o f t h e V is u a l ......................................................................................................................................... 35 3.4 Environmental