›2nd Manfred Lachs International Conference on Global Space Governance

The international community has not comprehensively addressed the issue of global space governance ever since UNISPACE III was held in 1999. Since then, several major developments have occurred in the world in general and the space sector in particular, which present serious implications for the conduct of space activities by all nations now and in the future. At this time, we believe that it is important and urgent to address the question of ‘where the international community has come from and where it should ultimately be heading’ in connection with global space governance in a neutral setting and, at the very least, from an academic perspective. For this purpose, the McGill Institute of, and Centre for Research in, Air and Space Law is organizing an international interdisciplinary conference on global space governance in close collaboration with other premier institutions (both academic and non-academic) from all over world. Our primary intent in organizing this conference is to provide an enabling environment for serious engagement and comprehensive deliberations to take place on all aspects of global space governance (including but not limited to: economic, political, strategic, legal, humanitarian and sociological aspects). We expect to attract participation from representatives of all major stakeholders in the global space sector, (i.e., governmental and non-governmental institutions, academic institutions, private entities, etc.) acting in their personal or professional (as opposed to their official) capacities. A Program Committee comprised of some of the world’s leading experts in matters relating to space exploration and use is presently in the process of designing a detailed program for the Conference.

Without prejudging the outcome of the Program Committee's deliberations, it is expected that the Conference will include a combination of plenary sessions on crosscutting themes of heightened importance and breakout sessions that focus on specific issues/activities. It is also expected that the Conference will feature keynote presentations, invited papers and papers selected pursuant to this Call for Papers. By this Call for Papers, the organizers of the Conference hereby solicit for submission papers that, among other things, will discuss and critically analyze the current socio-political, strategic and legal challenges to the achievement of good global space governance and, as well, propose viable policy options and regulatory mechanisms that will help ensure that present generations of humanity can continue their exploration and use of outer space without seriously compromising the possibility for future generations to do the same. Papers should be between 5,000 and 6,000 words in length and must specifically address at least one of the Conferences' many themes, including but not limited to the following:

• Astrosociological aspects of human space activities;
• Globalization and its impact on space governance;
• Regional perspectives on space governance;
• The role of international organizations (particularly the UN) in global space governance;
• The role of the private sector in global space governance;
• Space safety;
• Space security (including militarization and weaponization);
• Space hazards (including such issues as space debris, Near Earth Objects, and bio-chemical contamination).
• Governance of specific space activities and applications such as:

1. Telecommunications (including such issues as the equitable sharing of radio frequencies and orbital positions, and interference);
2. Earth observation (including climate change);
3. Human space flight and aerospace transportation;
4. Space natural resources; and,
5. Space-based solar power.