United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
Committee Overview
Topic 1: Establishing Guidelines for Satellite use in terms of privacy
Satellite data may be out of reach for the average citizen, but when intercepted by unauthorized third parties can be utilized to access conversations, track personal activity, and assist in crime against corporations and governments. International Space Law does not cover a significant portion of data sovereignty, namely, there are no official laws addressing who truly controls satellite data. Regular data protection laws state that those whose data’s being collected have ownership rights, although they are not the ones necessarily recording the data. Thus, satellite companies would be unable to fully analyze the information collected. The UN Remote Sensing Principles adopted in 1986 create a balance between satellite operators and others being recorded. The principles prioritize freedoms of operators for data collection and overlook the importance of data-sharing agreements concerning individual and corporation privacy. Additionally, gaps in state privacy treaties have left nations with limited options when it comes to pushing back against data collection from space, meaning they do not possess control over information about their own resources and activities.
Topic 2: Utilizing Space Technologies in Terms of Climate Action
Human activities are causing carbon dioxide emissions at a rate 250 times faster than from natural resources after the last Ice Age. 2024 was recorded to be the hottest year on record, reaching 1.55 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels, and between 2030-2050 is predicted to cause approximately 250,000 deaths per year due to malnutrition, disease, and heat stress. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 13 aims to take urgent action against climate change and its impacts. United Nations initiatives such as the Space4Climate Action program focus on using satellite data to monitor climate variables and prepare for disasters. The Space4SDGs initiative highlights the importance of advancing space technologies for the benefit of humanity on Earth, beginning with atmospheric temperatures and pollution.
