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The Guardian
27-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
The Guardian view on owning the heavens: the perils of letting capitalism colonise the cosmos
In 2015, a rare moment of US congressional unity passed the Space Act – to mine asteroids as if they were open seams of ore and harvest planets like unclaimed farmland. Quietly signed by President Barack Obama, it now reads as a premature act of enclosure: staking titles in a realm we scarcely understand. Though some expressed concerns at the time, it was justified by the idea of inevitable progress. Such naivety evaporated with Donald Trump. Space had been humanity's last commons, shielded by a 1967 Outer Space treaty. Mr Trump declared it dead in 2020, signing the Artemis Accords and enlisting 43 allies, including the UK, in the legalisation of heaven's spoils. In March, Mr Trump vowed to plant the stars and stripes on Mars – and beyond. The age of celestial commons was brief, if it ever began. A new report by the Common Wealth thinktank, titled Star Wars, warns that a powerful coalition – composed of private corporations, billionaires such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, and 'neoliberal' thinktanks – is working to extend earthly ownership structures to space. The report's author, Durham University's Carla Ibled, calls it 'the transfer of shared resources into the hands of a few'. The 1967 treaty bans state exploitation of space, but is vague on private claims – a loophole now fuelling a tycoon-led scramble for the stars. The aim is obvious: to act first, shape norms and dare others to object. Companies are targeting asteroid mines for 'platinum group' metals, lunar ice for fuel and helium 3 for nuclear fusion. These are, admittedly, more likely to be business cases more than functioning businesses. Space law, however, is being fashioned to allow appropriation under the guise of peaceful, commercial activity. Some bizarrely argue that off‑planet mining is social justice – shifting pollution from Earth to 'lifeless' space to spare local communities environmental harm. Common Wealth rightly sees this as a modern-day enclosure movement. Space isn't a prize for private conquest. It's a shared realm needing democratic, ethical stewardship – not corporate extraction in legal disguise. Building a worldwide democratic, collective model is not easy. There is no global body that has clear authority over space resource governance. There is an embryonic one in the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs. Previous attempts to create new frameworks – like the 1979 Moon Agreement – have failed to gain traction among major space powers. There are also longstanding concerns that privatisation is a cover for the militarisation of the cosmos. Notably, the UK has yet to adopt a space resource licensing system – unlike its fellow Artemis Accords founders the US, Luxembourg, United Arab Emirates and Japan. Reviving cold war lines in the stars, Russia and China defend space as common property against western-style celestial land grabs. There is no viable commercial model for the extraction of space resources and their return to Earth for sale. Nasa's Moon rock returns helped Congress justify space property rights. Dr Ibled warns that humanity's last commons is slipping into private hands. Some have proposed an Antarctic-style, consent-based model for space – which would treat it not as endless bounty but as a realm worthy of restraint and respect, where survival uses like water extraction would be permitted. Creating equitable global governance is hard. But that's no excuse not to try. The stakes, after all, are planetary.
Arab News
19-03-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Lessons from space on vital role of global collaboration
Many of the challenges in the world today are complex, multifaceted and multilayered. The solutions to address these challenges are similarly complex, involving multiple stakeholders, self-interests, and the need to factor in the geopolitical landscape. In order to address these challenges — whether it be climate change, desertification, or the health-related crises we are facing around the globe — international collaboration has never been more essential. These issues transcend national borders and require the concerted efforts of countries, industries, organizations, and individuals to find sustainable solutions. Effective collaboration is key to tackling these global threats, as no single nation has the resources or capability to address them alone. Additionally, we are all interconnected, and challenges in one nation affect us all, regardless of borders. One such example is Pakistan's 2022 floods — one of the worst in the nation's history — which were attributed to climate change, even though Pakistan emitted less than 1 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. Healthcare is facing similarly unprecedented and multifaceted challenges, including a shortage of family doctors in many countries, disease outbreaks, increasing climate change-related health issues, and worsening social determinants of health, among other concerns. A recent international project I led — which resulted in an insightful publication by me and my colleagues in one of the world's top medical journals — underscores an important point. This is the transformative potential and pivotal role that international collaboration in the space sector can play in supporting and advancing healthcare and Earth-based challenges. The space sector has mastered international collaboration and cooperation in exploration. Without this it would not be feasible for most nations to go to space, engage in research, or obtain satellite images to support public health emergencies and natural disasters. The publication provides insights into using the space sector as a role model and bridging gaps between healthcare and the industry. These insights demonstrate how the expertise and extensive networks of the space sector can significantly bolster public and global health. In the face of global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and natural disasters, the interconnectedness of sectors has become more evident than ever. My co-authors on this publication included leadership from the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs as well as experts from international space agencies. International collaboration and partnerships have been key to advancing space exploration and research for many nations. Canada is a recognized leader in space, playing a pivotal role in international missions and robotics for exploration. Despite lacking sovereign launch capability, Canada has still sent nine astronauts into space. The first Muslim and first Saudi Arabian citizen in space, Prince Sultan bin Salman, embarked on his mission through collaborations with NASA, aboard its space shuttle. The recent Saudi Arabian astronauts were a part of an international public-private partnership. This is a model increasingly seen in the sector, with Saudi Arabian and American astronauts traveling on a SpaceX rocket. Similarly, the 'Sultan of Space,' UAE astronaut Dr. Sultan Al-Neyadi — currently the UAE minister of state for youth affairs — became the longest-serving Arab in space and the first Arab to perform a spacewalk. He was part of Expedition 69, which included an international crew of NASA astronauts and Russian cosmonauts. I still recall seeing images of Al-Neyadi at the International Space Station wearing the Canadian Space Agency's Bio-Monitor — yet another example of international collaboration in space-related health research. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE are signatories to the Artemis Accords, an international agreement involving over 50 nations, which will see humanity return to the moon and eventually prepare for Mars. Space-based collaboration is unique in that, despite current international geopolitical tensions and conflicts, these partnerships continue. For example, despite ongoing wars, conflicts, and potential trade disputes, nations including the US, Canada, Russia, and various European countries continue to collaborate in space, including through the International Space Station. Dr. Monica Rocha, an expert from the Brazilian Space Agency and my co-author on the recent publication, stated: 'International cooperation plays a fundamental role in making space activities more accessible, secure, and sustainable. 'By fostering collaboration among nations, we not only expand the number of countries actively engaged in space initiatives, but also enable the development of increasingly ambitious and impactful projects. 'Such cooperation is essential to ensuring the peaceful use of outer space and to delivering tangible benefits to global society.' My research highlights that international collaboration is essential for addressing today's most pressing global challenges. The space sector has demonstrated how pooling resources, knowledge, and expertise for a common goal can lead to innovative solutions. By learning from successful space initiatives, countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other GCC nations can accelerate progress in tackling desertification, climate change, and healthcare challenges. With the right partnerships and a shared vision, these countries can significantly enhance global efforts while securing their own future in a rapidly changing world. Such a focus would also enable Saudi Arabia and the UAE to invest in developing future leaders within the space sector, particularly in space medicine and health — fields crucial for advancing human exploration. This, too, can be achieved through international collaborations that foster local expertise and knowledge.
