UN COPUOS Releases 67th Session Report -

The UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) has released a report on the Sixty-seventh session which was held June 19–28, 2024.

COPUOS highlighted the following outcomes from the session:

Growing COPUOS Membership: COPUOS saw applications from Latvia and Djibouti and several new observers (the African Astronomical Society, Space Data Association, the GSOA, Space Renaissance International, and the Outer Space Institute).

(Note, one of the new observers, the Outer Space Institute, is based at the University of British Columbia.)

Establishing Lunar Exploration Frameworks: The session launched the Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultation, tasked with creating recommendations to boost international collaboration and transparency in lunar exploration.

Strengthening Global Space Governance: Member states in their discussions underscored the significance of the upcoming Summit of the Future as a platform to tackle emerging space challenges, while also noting with appreciation the proposal for a high-level conference in 2027.

Taking action to address Space Sustainability: COPUOS emphasized the importance of implementing the 21 Guidelines for the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities, urging member states to integrate these into their national policies.

Work progressed on Space Law: COPUOS continued to address space resource exploration, exploitation and utilization. New legal frameworks are being developed, with ongoing dialogue encouraged among member states.

Addressing Space Debris & Traffic Management: COPUOS reinforced the importance of international cooperation in mitigating space debris risks and heard proposals on space traffic management coordination.

Advancing Space & Sustainable Development: COPUOS reaffirmed the critical role of space technology in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.

Regional Centres & UN-SPIDER: The role of UNOOSA’s Regional Centres for Space Science and Technology Education was highlighted, alongside the UN-SPIDER program’s contributions to disaster management, demonstrating the tangible impact of space applications on the ground.

During the session the Canadian delegation submitted a paper titled Promoting the Role of Women in Space For the Benefit of All Submitted by Canada (PDF). The short paper was a result of Canada hosting the Space for Women Expert Meeting in Montreal in late 2023.

The Canadian delegation co-organized “Space solutions supporting the Sustainable Development Goals: Space Solutions Compendium” on the margins of the session. Other co-organizers included Austria, NASA ESA and the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs.

Also of note, COPOUS stated that “some delegations expressed the view that the upcoming Summit of the Future, to be held in New York on 22 and 23 September 2024, would provide an excellent opportunity to strengthen the role of the Committee and its subcommittees, supported by the Office for Outer Space Affairs, and to address the topics of space traffic management, space debris and space resources and, in that connection, noted the Lisbon Declaration on Outer Space.”