Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space & Guidelines for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities Tanya Keusen Committee, Policy and Legal Affairs Section UNOOSA

Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space United Nations & Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space 1958 - An 18-member ad-hoc Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) was established by the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 1348 (XIII). 1959 - Permanent Committee was established and mandated to review international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space – UN GA Res 1472 (XIV). 1961 - Establishment of two Subcommittees: Scientific and Technical Subcommittee (STSC) Legal Subcommittee (LSC)

Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Provides a unique platform at the global level to monitor and discuss developments in the space agenda Meets in Vienna for 5.5 weeks a year. Reports to the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly Current membership: 87 member States and 37 organizations with permanent observer status

MEMBER STATES OF COPUOS (10/2018) ALBANIA CHILE IRAQ NIGERIA SRI LANKA ALGERIA CHINA ISRAEL NORWAY SUDAN ARGENTINA COLOMBIA ITALY OMAN SWEDEN AUSTRALIA COSTA RICA JAPAN PAKISTAN SWITZERLAND AUSTRIA CUBA JORDAN PERU SYRIA ARMENIA CHECHIA KAZAKHSTAN PHILIPPINES THAILAND AZERBAIJAN DENMARK KENYA POLAND TUNISIA BAHRAIN ECUADOR LEBANON PORTUGAL TURKEY BELARUS EL SALVADOR LIBYA QATAR UKRAINE BELGIUM EGYPT LUXEMBOURG REPUBLIC OF KOREA UNITED ARAB EMIRATES BENIN FRANCE MALAYSIA ROMANIA BOLIVIA GHANA MEXICO RUSSIAN FEDERATION UNITED KINGDOM BRAZIL GERMANY MONGOLIA SAUDI ARABIA UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BULGARIA GREECE MOROCCO SENEGAL URUGUAY BURKINA FASO HUNGARY NETHERLANDS SIERRA LEONE VENEZUELA CAMEROON INDIA NEW ZEALAND SLOVAKIA VIET NAM CANADA INDONESIA NICARAGUA SOUTH AFRICA CHAD IRAN NIGER SPAIN

PERMANENT OBSERVERS (10/2018) IGOs NGOs AARSE AOCRS ASE CEOS COSPAR ESPI EURISY IAA IAASS IAF IAU IIASA IATA IISL ILA ISPRS NSS PSIPW SCOSTEP SGAC SWF TPS WSWA ISU Ibero-American Institute of Aeronautics and Space Law and Commercial Aviation; UNISEC-Global, ESF (ESC). APSCO ARSCAW CRTEAN ESA ESO EUTELSAT-IGO ISNET IMSO INTERSPUTNIK ITSO

Topics under consideration Space and climate change Space and sustainable development Disaster management Space and water Space traffic management Long-term sustainability of outer space activities Spin-off benefits Small satellite activities Near-Earth objects Global Navigation Satellite Systems Space weather Space and global health

UNOOSA Organigram

6-Apr-19 Working Group on the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities Established in 2010 under the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee (A/AC.105/958, para. 181). Chaired by Peter Martinez (South Africa). Tasked to identify areas of concern for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, propose measures that could enhance sustainability, and produce voluntary guidelines to reduce risks to the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. Established four expert groups, which developed reports and candidate guidelines.

Working Group on the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities 6-Apr-19 In 2016 the Committee reached consensus on a first set of 12 guidelines (A/71/20, Annex). In 2018 consensus was reached on a preamble and nine additional guidelines (A/AC.105/1167, Annex III). Definition “The long-term sustainability of outer space activities is defined as the ability to maintain the conduct of space activities indefinitely into the future in a manner that realizes the objectives of equitable access to the benefits of the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, in order to meet the needs of the present generations while preserving the outer space environment for future generations.” Policy and regulatory framework for space activities - 5 guidelines Safety of space operations - 10 guidelines International cooperation, capacity-building and awareness - 4 guidelines Scientific and technical research and development - 2 guidelines

Way forward The Working Group concluded its mandate in 2018. It was not able to reach consensus on its final report or on how to refer the preamble and guidelines to the UN General Assembly (A/73/20, para. 207-208). Documents A/AC.105/C.1/L.366 & L.367 for consideration at the STSC The Committee encouraged States and international intergovernmental organizations to consider implementing the guidelines on a voluntary basis, and to share their experiences with implementation under the Subcommittee’s agenda item (A/73/20, para. 203). States members of the Committee may develop further written proposals on ways to continue work on the topic, that such proposals may be considered at the fifty-sixth session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee (A/73/20, para. 206).