Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)

Q1. How have the COVID-19 pandemic and the current food, energy and financing crises changed the priorities of your organization? 

The resilience of communities depends on an interplay of data, information, technologies and policy developments. Space technologies and their applications provide humanity with essential tools for evidence-based decision-making, which informs tailored and targeted policies. These are key to combating the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises. Throughout the pandemic, for instance, space tools helped to limit and mitigate disruptions.

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) works to help all countries, especially developing countries, access and leverage the benefits of space to accelerate sustainable development. It serves as a conduit for promoting and facilitating the use of space-based solutions, including in the implementation of the “Space2030” Agenda. In recent years UNOOSA has tailored this work to address the unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises and to leverage lessons learned to build back better and develop a more sustainable post-pandemic and post-crisis future. Towards this aim, the Office carries out a variety of activities that address the interdisciplinary nature of space, from space law and policy to space science and technology and its applications. Specific recent efforts targeted to this include, but are not limited to:

• The UNOOSA United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) programme, for example, compiles examples of best practices to leverage space in the fight against COVID-19. The repository showcases examples of “space in action”, from leveraging GNSS to track virus cases to using satellite images to gauge the impact of coronavirus on the economy and greenhouse gas emissions.

• UNOOSA’s Space Economy initiative, amongst other things, addresses building successful space economies that contribute to job creation, innovation and productivity, as well as promote long-term economic recovery to build back better.

• In collaboration with the G20, UNOOSA developed a white paper with examples of how G20 space agencies contribute to national and regional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and recommendations on how to scale up these activities through international cooperation.

Lockdowns, travel restrictions, cash flow challenges and other aspects of recent crises have required that UNOOSA as Secretariat entity be more agile and creative with its service delivery than ever before. The Office has frequently been required to pivot and develop creative solutions to ensure the continuity of its work. This has included making best use of technical solutions and creating and employing new, often more flexible, methods of work.

In this vein, UNOOSA has leveraged its role as a facilitator and connector, bringing together different stakeholders via online platforms. UNOOSA has hosted frequent webinars, covering a variety of topics. Relevant examples include webinars and online events on, inter alia, space applications to support global health, with particular attention paid to the COVID-19 pandemic; space technology for resilience and the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. UNOOSA has also held workshops and fora in virtual and/or hybrid formats, including the World Space Forum, a platform to promote discussions on the role of space science and technology in global sustainable development, which brings together stakeholders from the broader space community, including from governmental institutions, international intergovernmental organizations and NGOs, as well as industry, the private sector and academia.

Online education has become another area of focus. Together with the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia Pacific (CSSTEAP), for instance, UNOOSA developed a first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on using space applications for disaster management. E-learning courses on space law and policy and other topics have also been developed.

It has also been a UNOOSA priory to develop innovative approaches to the way it provides substantive Secretariat support to the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and its subsidiary intergovernmental bodies. In recent years the UNOOSA has helped States continue this work by changing to virtual and hybrid meetings, making use of virtual platforms, online interpretation services and adapted meeting schedules. UNOOSA has also actively supported the additional focus the Committee has been placing on space and global health in recent years. The Working Group on Space and Global Health completed its work in 2022, culminating in a dedicated resolution brought before the General Assembly in 2022.

Q2. How has your organization supported Member States to accelerate their recovery from COVID-19 and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda? How has your organization cooperated with other UN system organizations in these efforts to achieve coherence and synergies?

UNOOSA provided Secretariat support for the intergovernmental process that culminated in the adoption, by the General Assembly in 2021, of the “Space2030” Agenda”: space as a driver of sustainable development, and its implementation plan (UNGA Res 76/3). The “Space2030” Agenda is a forward-looking strategy for reaffirming and strengthening the contribution of space activities and space tools to the achievement of global agendas, addressing long-term sustainable development concerns of humankind. “Space 2030” elaborates clear overarching objectives and contains valuable tools and resources that Member States can avail themselves of in accelerating their recovery and implementation of the 2030 Agenda. UNOOSA serves as a conduit for promoting and facilitating the use of space-based solutions, including in the implementation of the “Space2030” Agenda. The “Space2030” Agenda also calls for the review of progress, to be undertaken by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, supported by UNOOSA.

In connection with coherence and synergies, UNOOSA leads the Inter-Agency Meeting on Outer Space Activities (UN-Space), a coordination mechanism which aims at promoting synergies and avoiding duplication of efforts related to the use of space technology and applications in the work of United Nations entities. UN-Space holds meetings for its members, drafts substantive reports and generates reports by the Secretary-General on coordination of space-related activities within the UN. It also organizes open informal sessions with participation of States and other stakeholders to promote dialogue and demonstrate examples of how the United Nations system responds to the selected themes.

Please highlight up to three high-impact initiatives, especially those that address interlinkages among the SDGs and involves interagency collaboration. Concrete initiatives might be selected to be spotlighted during relevant intergovernmental meetings.

Initiative UNOOSA as a capacity-builder
Partners All States members of the United Nations, in particular developing countries, as well as space agencies, research institutions and members of industry , the private sector and civil society
Relevant SDGs 4, 5, 6, 8, 10,13, 14, 17
Member States benefiting from the initiative All States members of the United Nations, in particular developing countries
Description UNOOSA builds capacity and works to eliminate the “Space Divide” through dedicated projects, programmes and opportunities. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Through Access to Space for All, UNOOSA partners with space agencies, research institutions and industry to develope technical know-how, engineering processes and infrastructure in the areas of hypergravity and microgravity, satellite development and space exploration.
• UNOOSA is the Executive Secretariat of the International Committee on GNSS (ICG), which strives to encourage and facilitate compatibility, interoperability and transparency between all the navigation satellite systems, to promote and protect the use of their open service applications.
• The legal advisory project, Space Law for New Space Actors, provides targeted assistance in the areas of space law and policy.
• Space4Women facilitates access to the benefits of space exploration, science and technology, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and careers for women and girls around the world.
• Space4Water is an interdisciplinary multi-stakeholder project with a strong capacity-building focus. It aims at a better understanding of the user needs of actors in all water-related sectors and a knowledge exchange among actors in the space and water-related sectors so that the full potential of space-based technologies and data can be used for a sustainable water management. Water is a connecting factor across the SDGs and implicitly affects many more SDGs than those who have indicators explicitly mentioning water.
Website

Access to Space for All www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/access2space4all/index.html;
International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/icg/icg.html;
Space Law for New Space Actors: https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/capacitybuilding/adviso…;
Space4Women https://space4women.unoosa.org/about; https://www.space4water.org

 

Initiative UNOOSA supporting the global governance of outer space activities
Partners All States members of the United Nations. Also the Executive Office of the Secretary-General and the Office for Disarmament Affairs of the Secretariat.
Relevant SDGs 16, 17
Member States benefiting from the initiative All States members of the United Nations
Description UNOOSA supports inclusive multilateral approaches to the international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. It provides all substantive Secretariat support services to the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and its subsidiary bodies. COPUOS was instrumental in the creation of the treaties and principles governing outer space and in recent years COPUOS has elaborated the “Space2030” Agenda: space as a driver of sustainable development and well as the Guidelines for the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities. UNOOSA discharges the responsibilities of the Secretary General under international space law, including maintaining the United Nations Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space, a treaty-based mechanism that identifies the State responsible for a space object, promoting transparency and confidence. UNOOSA also supports the periodic joint meetings of the Disarmament and International Security Committee (First Committee) and the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) of the General Assembly addressing the interconnections between space security and sustainability.
Website www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/copuos/index.html;
www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/spaceobjectregister/index.html

 

Initiative UNOOSA programme United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER)
Partners In order to promote the use of space-based technologies in disaster management and emergency response around the world, UN-SPIDER engages with a wide range of international networks that include space agencies, civil protection agencies, government ministries, international and regional organizations, United Nations entities academia, civil society and the private sector. Together with these partners, the programme conducts technical advisory support and capacity-building activities, holds conferences and workshops, creates joint publications and facilitates access to the benefits of space-derived information all phases of disaster management. Major partners include the Regional Support Offices, an up-to-date list of which is found at: www.un-spider.org/network/regional-support-offices
Relevant SDGs 6, 9, 11, 15, 17
Member States benefiting from the initiative All States, in particular developing countries
Description UN-SPIDER focuses on being a gateway to space information for disaster management support, by serving as a bridge to connect the disaster management, risk management and space communities and by being a facilitator of capacity-building and institutional strengthening, in particular for developing countries. UN-SPIDER is being implemented as an open network of providers of space-based solutions to support disaster management activities. UN-SPIDER assists developing countries in using space-based information in the full disaster management cycle. The services offered by UN-SPIDER include, but are not limited to, technical advisory support through technical advisory missions (TAM), capacity-building activities through workshops and trainings, and access to space-based information for disaster management through its Knowledge Portal.
Website www.un-spider.org

 

Q3. Has your organization published or is it planning to publish any analytical work or guidance note or toolkits to guide and support recovery efforts from COVID-19 while advancing full implementation of SDGs at national, regional and global levels?

UNOOSA has, and continues to develop guidance and educational tools to support recovery from the pandemic and to fully implement the SDGs. Examples include the development, together with the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia Pacific (CSSTEAP) of a first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on using space applications for disaster management and e-learning modules focusing on Access to Space, space law and policy and the long-term sustainability of outer space activities.

UNOOSA works as a connector, facilitator and amplifier, linking stakeholders in the space community. In this connection, it supports regional centres for space science and technology education and creates and hosts information portals which are resources that provide analysis, guidance and tools on their respective topics. More information on the regional centers and two of the portals is provided below.

Please select up to three high-impact resources to highlight, especially those that address interlinkages among the SDGs. Selected resources will be highlighted to inform relevant intergovernmental meetings.

Resource Space4Water Portal
Publishing entity/entities UNOOSA
Relevant SDGs SDG 6, SDG 13, SDG 14, SDG 15
Target audience All stakeholders in the space and water communities
Description The Space4Water Project was launched in 2018 with the aim of promoting the use of space-based technology and data for increased access to water. Space4Water’s vision is to enable all stakeholders involved in the space and water communities to access data and knowledge, to be creative and to realize their full potential in contributing to a world in which the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all has become a reality. The portal is inclusive, especially for actors from developing countries, with capacity building one of the main focuses. Using an interdisciplinary multi-stakeholder approach allows actors to connect across various water-related sectors and mandates. By tagging all knowledge resources on the portal with the SDGs they contribute to, the interlinking nature of water across all SDGs becomes increasingly apparent as well as the need to address the water agenda in a cross-cutting nature. Although the focus is on water, Space4Water content covers all Sustainable Development Goals.
Website www.space4water.org
Language English

 

Resource UNOOSA United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) Knowledge Portal
Publishing entity/entities UNOOSA
Relevant SDGs SDG 6, SDG 9, SDG 11, SDG 15, SDG 17
Target audience The disaster management, risk management and space communities. Support is provided, in particular, to developing countries.
Description The UN-SPIDER knowledge portal holds detailed information on how space technology be applied in disaster and risk management; where to access satellite data, products and resources; who are the users of space technology in disaster and risk management.
Website www.un-spider.org
Language English, Spanish, French

 

Resource Publication: International efforts using Space for climate action
Publishing entity/entities UNOOSA
Relevant SDGs SDG 13
Target audience Policy-makers, international or regional organisations, industry, academia, experts and civil society
Description This Strategic Mapping Exercise aims at reviewing existing climate action activities, mandates, programmes (“initiatives”) at the international and regional levels incl. the UN-system, non-UN groups, partnerships, organisations (“entities”). The publication outlines the use space technologies to support climate adaptation, mitigation, monitoring and resilience.
Website https://www.unoosa.org/documents/pdf/Space4SDGs/Space_for_Climate_Actio…
Language English

 

Resource United Nations Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space
Publishing entity/entities UNOOSA
Relevant SDGs All SDGs
Target audience Member States, Space agencies, researchers.
Description UNOOSA maintains the United Nations Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space. Since the entry into force of the Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space, States and international intergovernmental organizations that agree to abide by the Convention are required to establish their own national registries and provide information on their space objects to the Secretary-General for inclusion in the United Nations Register. Responsibility for maintenance of the Register was delegated by the Secretary-General to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. As required under the treaty, UNOOSA publicly disseminates, through the Register the information provided as United Nations documents.
Website https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/spaceobjectregister/index.html
Language Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish

 

Q4. How has your organization engaged with stakeholder groups to support SDG implementation and COVID-19 recovery at national, regional and global levels? Please provide main highlights, including any lessons learned. For example, what has worked particularly well as a model for effective stakeholder engagement? 

In 2022, UNOOSA has continued to support SDG implementation through its workplan of activities, continuing the delivery of capacity-building efforts such as workshops, technical advisory missions (TAMs), webinars and competitions, and strengthening the engagement with stakeholder groups at national, regional and local level. UNOOSA has reaffirmed its existing networks, reinforcing the core activity through face-to-face activities when feasible.

The Space4Water portal has continued to work with all stakeholders involved in the space and water communities contributing to a world in which the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all has become a reality, carrying out its 1st stakeholder meeting in October 2022. In addition, the Office has organized the United Nations/Ghana/Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water- 5th International conference on the use of space technology for water resources management in May 2022 in Accra, Ghana and online. The Conference gathered experts and high-level participants in Accra while allowing contributions from a wider group of speakers online, adapting successfully to restrictions due to Covid-19. To continue engaging with young people worldwide, the Office launched a Youth4Water Essay Competition under the umbrella of the Space4Youth competition, launched by UNOOSA in 2020 as a response to the UN Secretary-General UN-wide 'Youth 2030' strategy to recognize, inter alia, young people's positive contributions as agents of change. These activities are targeting primarily SDG 4 “Quality Education” and SDG 6 “Clean Water and Sanitation”.

Through Space4Women, UNOOSA has continued to facilitate access to the benefits of space exploration, science and technology, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, and STEM careers for women and girls around the world. The project organized the United Nations/Republic of Korea Space for Women Expert Meeting: Access and participation of women and girls in the space sector in August 2022 and launched a new edition of the Space4Woman mentorship programme in October 2022. Space4Women targets SDG4 “Quality Education” and SDG 5 “Gender Equality”.

The World Space Forum (WSF), organized yearly by the Office, brings around the table experts and policymakers from regional, national and local institutions, private organizations, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations and international organizations, who exchange views on the four pillars of space economy, space society, space accessibility and space diplomacy. In December 2022, the WSF will be convened on the topic 'Sustainability in Space for sustainability on Earth'.

The United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) continued to deliver technical advisory missions in several countries, engaging with experts from different organizations to provide comprehensive recommendations at the intersection of space applications, geospatial information management and disaster management. UN-SPIDER also coordinates and communicates with Regional Support Offices (RSOs) which are regional or national centres of expertise, covering the realms of outreach and capacity building, as well as of horizontal cooperation and technical advisory support. In November 2022, the 12th Annual Coordination Meeting of UN-SPIDER Regional Support Offices to continue delivering excellence to Member States and targeting SDG 1 “No Poverty”, SDG 2 “Zero Hunger” and SDG 13 “Climate Action” among others. UN-SPIDER also published the COVID-19 space information hub, a list of space resources produced by different stakeholders that could be used to fight the COVID-19.

UNOOSA is the executive secretariat of the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG), The International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) strives to encourage and facilitate compatibility, interoperability and transparency between all the satellite navigation systems, to promote and protect the use of their open service applications and thereby benefit the global community. To this aim, the Provider’s Forum, engaging with current and future system providers, was established. The 25th meeting of the Provider’s Forum took place in hybrid format in June 2022. Global Navigation Satellite Systems are instrumental for the achievement of the SDGs and their contributions span over virtually all the 17 SDGs.

The Space Law for New Space Actors project, engages with different stakeholders, both in emerging space countries and developed space countries to support the development of national space policy and law. This project has carried out several advisory missions in 2022 and has organized a technical advisory mission for the African continent in December 2022, targeting SDG 4 and SDG 16 “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions”.

If your organization has established multi-stakeholder partnership(s) in this regard, please describe them (name, partners involved, relevant SDGs, Member States benefiting from the partnership) and provide links to relevant websites for more information.

Partnership Space4Water
Partners United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW)
Relevant SDGs SDG 6, SDG 9, SDG 14, SDG 17
Member States benefiting from the initiative All UN Member States
Description In 2016, UNOOSA and the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW) signed an agreement to collaborate on their common goal of promoting the use of space-based technology for increased access to water. The Space4Water Project is based on three pillars: web portal, an International Conference Series and the Community. UNOOSA has been establishing a network of representatives from all stakeholder groups: academia, government, (international) intergovernmental organisations, private sector and industry as well as civil society since 2018. In October 2022, UNOOSA hosted the 1st Space4Water Stakeholder Meeting, which demonstrated the willingness of stakeholders to cooperate and commit to developing good practices and creating working groups, as well as the willingness to address existing challenges by applying their knowledge. Ways to identify challenges on a local level (with support of stakeholders’ local networks) and to communicate those challenges up to a more regional or international level were addressed.
Website Space4Water Portal

 

Partnership UN-SPIDER
Partners Network of Regional Support Offices
Relevant SDGs SDG 1, SDG 2, SDG 13
Member States benefiting from the initiative All UN Member States
Description In its resolution 61/110 of 14 December 2006 the United Nations General Assembly agreed to establish the "United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response - UN-SPIDER" as a new United Nations programme, with the following mission statement: "Ensure that all countries and international and regional organizations have access to and develop the capacity to use all types of space-based information to support the full disaster management cycle". A number of initiatives in recent years have contributed in making space technologies available for humanitarian aid and emergency response. Yet, UN-SPIDER is the first to focus on the need to ensure access to and use of such technologies during all phases of the disaster management cycle, including the risk reduction phase which is crucial for reducing the losses of lives and property.
Website Startpage | UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal

 

Partnership International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems
Partners All ICG Members: Australia, China, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, United Arab Emirates, United States of America and European Union
Relevant SDGs SDG 3, SDG 7, SDG 9, SDG 11 and SDG 17
Member States benefiting from the initiative All UN Member States
Description The International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG), established in 2005 under the umbrella of the United Nations, promotes voluntary cooperation on matters of mutual interest related to civil satellite-based positioning, navigation, timing, and value-added services. The ICG contributes to the sustainable development of the world. Among the core missions of the ICG are to encourage coordination among providers of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), regional systems, and augmentations in order to ensure greater compatibility, interoperability, and transparency, and to promote the introduction and utilization of these services and their future enhancements, including in developing countries, through assistance, if necessary, with the integration into their infrastructures. The ICG also serves to assist GNSS users with their development plans and applications, by encouraging coordination and serving as a focal point for information exchange.
Website International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) (unoosa.org)

 

Partnership Regional Centers for Space Science and Technology Education, affiliated to the United Nations
Partners Regional Centers for Space Science and Technology Education, affiliated to the United Nations Target audience: Students, in particular from developing countries
Relevant SDGs 4,9,10,17
Member States benefiting from the initiative All UN Member States
Description UNOOSA supports a network of regional centres for space science and technology education, affiliated to the United Nations. The regional centres are designed to provide capacity-building, education and training in space science and applications, as well as space law and policy, in particular for developing countries. To ensure a common standard of teaching at the centres, education curricula have been developed. Such education programmes are provided by the African regional centres for space science and technology education in the French and English languages, located in Morocco and Nigeria, respectively; the Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Asia and the Pacific, located in China; the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific, located in India; the Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Latin America and the Caribbean, with campuses located in Brazil and Mexico; and the Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Western Asia, located in Jordan.
Website www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/psa/regional-centres/index.html

 

Partnership Space4Woman
Partners Israel, Republic of Korea, Canada, Brazil
Relevant SDGs SDG 4, SDG 5
Member States benefiting from the initiative All UN Member States
Description As the gateway to space within the United Nations, UNOOSA works to bring the benefits of space science and technology to everyone, everywhere. Space4Women strengthens the awareness, capacity, and skills of individuals and institutions to promote gender equality and women's empowerment in STEM fields with a special focus on the space sector. Space4Women action areas include: • Communicating the opportunities of STEM education, and facilitating access to space education and careers. • Providing policy-relevant advice, knowledge management, and evidence-based awareness raising, research and data to institutions and governments on “Space for Women” and “Women for Space.” • Facilitating capacity-building and training of individuals on access to and use of space-technology to train, generate skills, and foster knowledge. • Promoting a mentoring platform and a Space4Women Network for advocacy and awareness raising. • Empowering young women and girls to be both the beneficiary of, and an active and integral contributor to space solutions.
Website Space4Women | (unoosa.org)

 

Partnership Space Law for New Space Actors Project
Partners Luxembourg, Japan, Chile, Belgium, France, Secure World Foundation, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization.
Relevant SDGs SDG 16
Member States benefiting from the initiative All UN Member States
Description The project aims to allow UNOOSA to collaborate with member States and to respond to the requests for legal advisory services in a structured and sustainable manner, supporting the development of national space law and policy, as well, as a better understanding of international space law. In this regard, since the launch of the project, the Office has received over 45 such requests from emerging-space faring nations.
Website UNOOSA Space Law Capacity-building and Advisory Services: Space Law for New Space Actors "Fostering Responsible National Space Activities"

 

Q5. In the 2019 SDG Summit declaration (GA Resolution 74/4), Member States outlined ten priority areas for accelerated action in SDG implementation. Please highlight any major integrated and innovative policies or initiatives that your organization may have adopted in these ten priority areas: 

5.4 strengthening institutions for more integrated solutions

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) works to promote international cooperation in the peaceful use and exploration of space, and in the utilisation of space science and technology for sustainable economic and social development. The Office assists any United Nations Member States to establish legal and regulatory frameworks to govern space activities and strengthens the capacity of developing countries to use space science, technology and applications for development by helping to integrate space capabilities into national development programmes.

5.6 reducing disaster risk and building resilience

UN-SPIDER advisory missions for strengthening national disaster management capabilities aim to mitigate the impact of disasters and build resilience through specific recommendations at national level.

5.7 solving challenges through international cooperation and enhancing the global partnership

UNOOSA is the secretariat of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space was set up by the General Assembly in 1959 to govern the exploration and use of space for the benefit of all humanity: for peace, security and development. UNOOSA has supported the Committee during the COVID-19 lockdown periods by organizing online sessions, since December 2021, solving challenges through international cooperation and enhancing the global partnership.

5.8 harnessing science, technology and innovation with a greater focus on digital transformation for sustainable development

The Office works to close the Space Divide, which is the gap between countries with established space capabilities and those which do not have, working to leave no one behind through capacity-building efforts, advisory services and cooperation fora, enhancing national development and implementation. Activities such as the Access to Space for All initiative, which provides access to space facilities and infrastructure to emerging space nations, the Regional Centres for Space Science and Technology Education affiliated to the United Nations conceived as institutions that should offer the best possible education, research and applications programmes, opportunities and experience to the participants in all its programme, and the support provided by the Space Law for New Space Actors project for the development of national space law and policy are examples in the direction of leaving no one behind by reducing the space divide and enhancing national implementation by strengthening institutions.

5.9 investing in data and statistics for the SDGs

UNOOSA has been acting as the chair of the Working Group on Capacity-Building and Data Democracy of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites, facilitating the coordination among space agencies’ joint efforts on capacity-building and use of data. Some of the efforts have been specifically addressing the monitoring of the SDGs (CEOS & SDGs).

Q6. Following the adoption of the 2022 Ministerial Declaration, please highlight any major integrated and innovative policies or initiatives that your organization may have adopted related to the below, if applicable:

6.1 Member States encouraged "the United Nations system and all relevant actors to take advantage of emerging technologies and their applications, as appropriate, in order to maximize impact and effectiveness in data analysis and collection and stress the need to bridge the digital gap among and within countries" (Paragraph 86)

Paragraph 107 of the Ministerial Declaration specifically references the Space2030 Agenda: space as a driver of sustainable development and its implementation plan, as a forward-looking strategy for reaffirming and strengthening the contribution of space activities and space tools for the achievement of the SDGs. The Office for Outer Space Affairs serves as a conduit for promoting and facilitating the use of space-based solutions, including in the implementation of the Space2030 Agenda, and should continue, within its mandate, functions and existing resources to pursue partnerships, including with research institutions, academia, industry and the private sector, to provide broader opportunities to access space for purposes of science, innovation, research and development, education and capacity-building. In that regard, the Office implements activities to promote the use of space-based applications and technologies to build capacities of members States in using space technologies for analysis, data collection and inform decision making, and to support Member States in meeting the objectives of the global development agendas.

6.2 Member States specifically called upon the UN system "to work with the newly established United Nations Food Systems Coordination Hub, hosted by FAO, to support Governments to develop and strengthen SDG-based national pathways for sustainable food systems transformation" (Paragraph 128)

UNOOSA as the secretariat of the United Nations Inter-Agency Meeting on Outer Space Activities (UN-Space), promotes coordination of space-related activities within the United Nations system. UN-Space produced a special report on the use of space technology within the United Nations system for agriculture development and food security and a dedicated publication, and organized open session to promote dialogue between UN entities and other stakeholders on the use of space technology for food security and agriculture. In 2022, UN-Space addressed the use of space technology within the UN for climate action, the area that has an impacts on sustainable food systems.

UNOOSA contributed to the Food Systems Summit by organizing in 2021, the United Nations/Austria Symposium on Space Applications for Food Systems, whose main topic was how space technologies support food systems and thus contribute to activities around the UN Food Systems Summit convened by the UN Secretary General. Following the symposium, UNOOSA partnered with the European Space Agency (ESA), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to provide a variety of training courses on the application of Earth Observation (EO) technologies for agriculture. These online courses aimed to raise awareness of the use of EO technologies and remote sensing for agriculture and enhance participants' capabilities to use them. In view of implementing the “Space2030” Agenda, the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and the Office for Outer Space Affairs should continue to fulfil their respective mandates and to cooperate and coordinate with other relevant entities within the United Nations system, including through the Inter-Agency Meeting on Outer Space Activities (UN-Space).

Q7. The 2023 SDG Summit is expected to provide political leadership, guidance and recommendations for sustainable development and follow-up and review progress in the implementation of sustainable development commitments and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, including through national and regional consultations, which will mark the beginning of a new phase of accelerated progress towards the SDGs. In the lead up to the 2023 SDG Summit, please provide your organization’s recommendations on how to overcome challenges to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the SDGs, taking into account the thematic reviews and voluntary national reviews conducted to date. 

Sustainable development on Earth is impossible without the use of outer space (recommendation 1: recognize the role of outer space for sustainable development)

Space science and technology are intrinsic to our daily lives and bring an abundance of unique and fundamental benefits to Earth. As the space community moves forward with its space exploration endeavours, space will continue to serve as a source of inspiration and innovation and to provide applications for the benefit of humankind. In 2018, the report entitled “European Global Navigation Satellite System and Copernicus: Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals. Building Blocks towards the 2030 Agenda" published by UNOOSA, provided evidence that nearly 40 percent of the targets underpinning the Sustainable Development Goals directly benefit from using the EGNSS and Copernicus services, either helping monitor the status of achievement of a given SDG or actively contributing to its fulfilment.

This key finding was incorporated later in the Space2030 Agenda, through its overarching objectives, recognizing the importance of raising awareness of the importance of space science, technologies and applications for the achievement of the SDGs.

Sustainability of activities in outer space is crucial for sustainable development on Earth. (recommendation 2: make outer space sustainable in the long-term)

In order for communities to continue benefiting from space activities, space activities themselves need to be sustainable in the long-term. An additional component not captured in the 2030 Agenda for Substantiable Development, is therefore needed, and that is sustainability of space for sustainability on Earth. The Guidelines on the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space were adopted by the Committee and welcomed with appreciation by the General Assembly 2019. The preamble of the Guidelines makes clear the importance of space for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals: “Space activities are essential tools for realizing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.” In a Working Group of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, member States continue to identify and study challenges to the long-term sustainability of outer space activities; share experiences, practice and lessons learned in implementing the adopted Guidelines; and raise awareness and build capacity on the topic.

Space tools are indispensable for monitoring and accelerating the attainment of SDGs . (recommendation 3: increase the use of tools and solutions offered by outer space for attainment of SDGs by increasing awareness in this area, building capacities to use them and promoting access to space)

Space tools are highly relevant for the attainment of the global development agendas, either directly, as enablers and drivers of sustainable development, or indirectly, by also providing essential data for to monitor the progress towards achieving targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 and the commitments by States parties to the Paris Agreement. The fulfilment of these global agendas requires improved access to space-based data and applications and space infrastructure, taking into account the particular needs of developing countries. As satellites have nearly global coverage, the same sensor is used to measure globally, eliminating errors due to the use of different sensors to measure the same quantity.

In particular, UNOOSA, in partnership with the European Space Agency, is working to develop the “Space Solutions Compendium” a tool for supporting Member States in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, linking space solutions with Sustainable Development Goals and targets which will be available for the 2023 SDG Summit. This tool could be presented at the 2023 SDG Summit, raising awareness about how space tools can be used to accelerate the attainment of each individual SDG and how the SDGs would be impacted if access to space data would not be available.

 

ECESA Plus Member
Year of submission: 2022