Avril Therese Cutinho – The Winchester School

Resolution Paper

Committee: United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs

Topic: Strengthening international cooperation and coordination on space debris mitigation and
removal efforts to encourage space sustainability
Main submitter: The United Kingdom of Great Britain

Alarmed by the consequences that would be caused due to an increase in the production of space
debris,
Recognizing that international cooperation and a collective effort is required to solve the
problematic issue of space debris,
Noting further the resolution 62/217 of 22 December 2007 in which the General Assembly
endorsed the Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of
Outer Space,
Affirming the 1968 Rescue Agreement where the treaty required that States Parties return any
"foreign" space objects discovered in their territory to their owners and that they notify the
Secretary-General of any such discovered objects,
Expressing gratitude towards the IADC (Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee)
which provided information to space operators, allowing them to take necessary actions to avoid
collisions with space debris,

1) Calls upon all member countries to understand the importance and need for an immediate
action towards implementing guidelines and treaties established by The United Nations
Office for Outer Space Affairs:
a) Following standards set by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
related to decreasing the production of space debris
b) Urges all nations to follow responsible practices during satellite launches to reduce
production of space debris, according to the treaties created by UNOOSA
c) Imposing sanctions on countries that do not adhere to the guidelines given

2) Encourages nations to take initiative and invest towards research, projects and developing
solutions as well as provide resources and promote other campaigns taken by different
organizations to collectively address the issue of space debris;
3) Encourages further the More Economically Developed Countries (MEDC) to fund and
assist various organizations and share data as well as resources to collectively address the
issue of space debris, along with assisting the incapable and financially unstable Low
Economically Developed Countries (LEDC) by:

a) Funding projects and providing a multitude of research to allow LEDCs to actively

participate in the issue of space debris
b) MEDCs can support LEDCs by acquiring the necessary technology to address space
debris
c) MEDCs can also raise awareness in LEDC countries about the risks and
consequences of the issue at hand

4) Calls upon all countries to collaborate and collectively assist projects and joint research
to produce effective solutions and set standards as well as follow them:

a) This can be done by being members of various organizations similar to the ESA
(European Space Agency) which calls for guidelines to be adhered to minimize the
issue
b) Actively engage in committees such as the IADC (Inter-Agency Debris Coordination
Committee), the UNCOPUOS (the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses
of Outer Space) and the IAF (International Astronautical Federation) to develop
global strategies for space debris mitigation

5) Accepts that countries should educate and raise awareness about the negative
consequences of having an increase of space debris and the impacts on future missions
and space sustainability to ensure that satellite operators are aware of the negative results
that would occur if responsibility during launches was not followed:
a) Countries can organize workshops, conferences, public outreach campaigns and even
media engagement to engage governments, space agencies, satellite operators and
even the public on the issue of space debris.