Safeguarding Space: Environmental Issues, Risks and Responsibilities - Issue Note

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dc.contributor.approvalRecordUNEP Publishing Board
dc.contributor.authorUnited Nations Environment Programme
dc.contributor.authorUnited Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
dc.date.accessioned2025-12-10T12:01:17Z
dc.date.issued2025-12
dc.date.submitted2025-12-10
dc.descriptionThis issues note reviews recent literature on the environmental implications of expanding space activities and outlines approaches for communicating the topic consistently across the United Nations Environment Programme. It describes the rapid growth of satellite launches and spacecraft deployments and explains how activities such as manufacturing, launch, operation and re-entry affect all layers of Earth’s atmosphere. The document summarises evidence on emissions from launches, atmospheric ablation during re-entry, metal particle formation, orbital debris accumulation and associated risks to atmospheric chemistry, ozone, climate processes and astronomical observations. It also discusses gaps in monitoring and data, governance limitations and emerging sustainability initiatives, while outlining research priorities and coordinated international actions needed to better understand and manage environmental impacts.en
dc.description.reviewStatuspeer-reviewed
dc.description.statusFinal
dc.formatpdf
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.59117/20.500.11822/49056
dc.identifier.isbn978-92-807-4248-0
dc.identifier.otherEO/2730/NA
dc.identifier.urihttps://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/49056
dc.languageEnglish
dc.page.number12 p.
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 IGOen
dc.rights.accessLevelPublic
dc.rights.copyrightUnited Nations Environment Programme
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectEnvironment under review
dc.subject.sdgSDG 3 - Good Health and Well-Being
dc.subject.sdgSDG 13 - Climate Action
dc.subject.themeenvironmental management
dc.subject.themeindustry
dc.subject.themeemission reduction
dc.subject.themeair
dc.subject.themestratosphere
dc.subject.themeatmospheric emission
dc.subject.themepollution
dc.subject.themestratospheric ozone depletion
dc.subject.themebiology
dc.subject.thememarine ecosystem
dc.subject.themeclimate
dc.subject.themeclimate change
dc.titleSafeguarding Space: Environmental Issues, Risks and Responsibilities - Issue Noteen
dc.typeIssues note

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