Scientists have called for the designation of a new United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) with the aim to conserve and sustainably use Earth's orbit, and prevent the accumulation of space junk.
There are currently 17 SDGs, adopted by UN members in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet for future generations, and ensure all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
But with growing numbers of satellites and other objects now orbiting our planet, there is growing concern that without some form of global consensus another of Earth’s once pristine environments is at risk of being irrevocably changed.
Writing in the journal One Earth, an international collaboration of experts – in fields including satellite technology and ocean plastic pollution – have proposed an 18th SDG dedicated to the protection of Earth’s orbit.
The study highlights that there are now around 100 nations involved in varying levels of space activity, and that since the 1950s, almost 20,000 satellites have been launched into Earth’s orbit.
These satellites bring immense benefits to society, from monitoring ecosystems and supporting global communications, to facilitating services used by billions of people across the planet such as satellite television and contactless bank card payments.
However, once they reach the end of their useful life, the experts say abandoned satellites, launch stages, and fragments resulting from explosions or collisions can accumulate as orbital debris. This raises the chance of collisions with active satellites, which would not only impact their ability to function but would also result in further increases in debris.
While a number of organisations have begun to recognise the need for action to address this, the authors say an additional SDG could deliver the global consensus and mechanisms for effective enforcement required to address the issue.
They believe a new SDG18 could draw direct inspiration from one of the existing goals – SDG14: Life Below Water – with lessons learned in marine debris management being used to prevent another planetary crisis before it is too late.
They also highlight that it would complement the existing SDGs, which include references to space technology for its ability to support improved understanding of global issues but not its potential to represent a future issue itself.
The article was co-authored by researchers from the University of Plymouth, PBL Works, Arribada Initiative, University of Auckland, The University of Texas at Austin, Anturus Ltd, University of Maine, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Spaceport Cornwall, Slingshot Aerospace Ltd, and ZSL (Zoological Society of London).
It builds on an article published in Science in March 2023, in which a number of the same scientists called for a legally-binding treaty to ensure that Earth’s orbit isn’t irreparably harmed by the future expansion of the global space industry.
Dr Imogen Napper
