In the week that a new UN treaty on the protection of the ocean was passed, scientists are calling for a similar legally binding treaty to protect Earth’s orbit.
Until recently, international waters were ‘free seas’. This means that they were unprotected from overfishing, (plastic) pollution, deep-sea mining and habitat destruction. Last week that changed; by 2030, 30 percent of the ocean must be protected area. Scientists, including marine biologists, are now calling for the lessons learned to be immediately applied to the overcrowded area around the earth. Because without immediate action, large swathes of near space will risk the same fate as the ocean.
Space junk
It’s busy around the world. For example, there are currently about 9,000 satellites orbiting our planet. And it doesn’t stop here. The number of satellites is expected to increase to no less than 60,000 in 2030. And that probably also means a lot of mess. While space is supposed to be a garbage-free place, humans have made quite a mess of it over the decades. For example, it is estimated that hundreds of tons of waste are circling the earth. Think of broken and discarded satellites, but also (minuscule) fragments of satellites that have collided with each other. While the satellites that will be added in the coming years are likely to bring many benefits, there are fears that the predicted growth of the industry will render large parts of the Earth’s orbit useless.
In recent years, efforts have been made to reduce the amount of space junk. Consider, for example, the RemoveDEBRIS project. But these and similar efforts did not yield the desired result. The waste is added faster than it is removed. The testing of anti-satellite weapons – as India undertook in 2019 – and the explosion of a Russian rocket motor last year also contribute to the amount of flying debris. Space junk is therefore a real problem. Some scientists also argue that we are already in the early stages of the so-called Kessler syndrome. Kessler syndrome is a doomsday scenario that was first suggested in 1978. It means that the concentration of space debris around Earth becomes so great that collisions between objects start a chain reaction, each collision producing new space debris that increases the likelihood of further collisions. Eventually, some areas of space will become filled with fast-moving junk, effectively rendering these areas unusable.
The fact that a UN treaty on the protection of the oceans has now been drawn up is a major step forward. But according to scientists, we must now press ahead and also adopt a treaty for the protection of near space. “The issue of plastic pollution and many of the other challenges facing our oceans are now receiving global attention,” said researcher Imogen Napper. “However, we are in a similar situation with the accumulation of space debris. By applying the lessons learned here too, we can avoid making the same mistakes. Without a global agreement, we could potentially be on a similar path right now.”
Legally binding treaty
According to the researchers, a legally binding treaty would ensure that Earth’s orbit is not irreparably damaged by the future expansion of the global space industry. “Satellites are vital to human health, economies, security and the Earth itself,” said Melissa Quinn, one of the experts pushing for a space junk treaty. “However, the use of space for the benefit of people and the planet is at risk. We need to act proactively now before we harm the use of space for future generations. Humanity must take responsibility now – not later. I encourage all leaders to take note, recognize the importance of this next step and show collective responsibility.”
Enforce
Incidentally, some work is already being done to reduce the amount of space debris. For example, some countries are already building more sustainable satellites. However, according to the researchers, this is not enough. “The use of sustainable satellites should be enforced by any country planning to use Earth’s orbit,” they argue. In addition, according to them, the responsibility for debris should lie with satellite users and producers from the moment they are launched. In addition, commercial costs should be considered when looking for ways to encourage accountability. Such considerations are consistent with current proposals to tackle ocean plastic pollution.
The researchers emphasize in their study the importance of a space junk treaty, in order to prevent history from repeating itself. “I have spent most of my career working on the accumulation of plastic waste in the marine environment; the damage it can do and the possible solutions,” says marine biologist Richard Thompson. “It is very clear that much of the pollution could have been prevented. We were well aware of the problem of plastic pollution ten years ago. And if we had acted, the amount of plastic in our oceans would be half what it is today. In the future, we need to take a much more proactive stance. There is much to learn from the mistakes we made with regard to the oceans that are relevant to the accumulation of debris in space.”
