The UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) reported on Saturday a transition towards more inclusive global participation in outer space activities, with the growing involvement of Global South countries, including Ghana, Maldives, Tonga and Côte d’Ivoire. Having long been dominated by technologically advanced countries, outer space is now becoming increasingly accessible to these countries as a result of falling costs and international initiatives aimed at supporting emerging space actors.

The committee said there is an increasing number of smaller states applying for membership in COPUOS, which contributes to shaping rules designed to promote a conflict-free approach to outer space use. The Access to Space for All programme and Space Law for New Space Actors further broaden the participation of these smaller states.

COPUOS highlighted that Ghana and Tonga recently developed “digital twins” of their capital cities using satellite data and AI with the help of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). These virtual models can simulate flooding scenarios, assisting the governments in responding more effectively during disasters.

COPUOS further noted that Kenya, Mauritius, Guatemala, and Moldova have also successfully launched their first satellite through the JAXA/UNOOSA KiboCUBE program, which collaborates with developing countries to deploy small cube satellites from the International Space Station.

Access to space technologies particularly benefits smaller states, which are affected the most in combating the climate crisis. Satellites are critical in monitoring coastlines for sea-level rise and tracking the melting of glaciers. A recent innovation by Climate TRACE uses satellite data combined with AI to track the location of large sources of global greenhouse gas emissions and monitor them. Notably, they found that global emissions from oil and gas production in 2021 were three times higher than what was reported to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Although the ever-evolving space technologies offer transformative advantages to countries, over-commercialization of outer space can risk creating more space debris. Outer space, considered as a global common, must be utilized sustainably.