Legal experts specializing in space law are currently working to define how this field can address environmental concerns in space – including debris and space pollution – alongside institutions like the European Space Agency (ESA) and the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
Looking at the binding aspects of space law, the Outer Space Treaty does not directly address these issues. Specifically, it doesn’t mention space debris, for example. However, certain principles within the treaty can be readily mobilized and interpreted to address environmental challenges in space. The regime of state responsibility for space activities could be utilized, or the principle of non-contamination referenced in previous discussions.
Beyond binding regulations, organizations and institutions have taken up the issue, issuing guidelines and recommendations on these topics ( observe, for example, this document ).
On the European front, in addition to the ESA’s historical work on space debris, sustainability is a key pillar of the EU Space Act proposed in 2025 by the European Union. Work is underway outside of formal legal frameworks to measure the environmental footprint of space activities, including life-cycle assessments of space operations. Studies are also being conducted to better understand the specific effects of space activities, such as pollution in the upper atmosphere.
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