United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

Letter from the Chairperson

Dear Delegates,
I, Diti Rawat couldn’t have been more pleased and elated to welcome you to the Shishukunj MUN 2018 as the Chairperson for the Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space.

Now for a little bit about myself, I am a 12th grader pursuing Humanities with Psychology and Mathematics. I love to travel, meet new people and try different cuisines.  I began MUNing in the 9th grade and since then it has become something I cannot do without. Debating and getting the opportunity to understand differentiating views and opinions are the reasons why I’m zealous about MUN conferences. I am beyond any doubt that this conference will serve as a great platform for you to hone your debating and negotiating skills. 

The committee will be discussing the agenda ‘Development of Space System for Conservation and Energy Solution’, which has gained immense momentum in the recent years as implementable solutions on this topic are the need of the hour. The decisions that the committee now takes regarding this issue will influence the world more than ever. I would encourage all of you to thoroughly research on this topic in order to find solutions to this pivotal issue. 

On behalf of the Bureau, I wish you all the best. Hope to meet you all this October!
Thank you!
Diti Rawat
Chairperson
UNCOPUOS
uncopuos@shishukunjmun.com

Organ Description

Set up in 1959 by the General Assembly, amidst the tensions of the Cold War there was a growing concern in the international community that either space might become yet another field for intense rivalries between the superpowers or would be left for exploitation by a limited number of countries with the necessary resources. The Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space governs the exploration and use of space for the benefit of humanity: for peace, security and development. The Committee, which originally consisted of 18 member states, has now grown to become one of the United Nations’ largest committees, with the membership of 87 countries. The committee was entrusted with ensuring worldwide participation in peaceful use of outer space, contemplating space related activities that could be undertaken by the United Nations, encouraging space research programmes and investigating legal issues emerging form exploration of outer space. It was involved in creation of five treaties and five principles of outer space. International collaboration in space exploration and utilization of space technology applications to meet the global development goals are discussed in the committee every year. Inferable from rapid advances in space technology, the space agenda is always evolving. The committee therefore provides a unique platform at the global level to supervise and discuss these advancements.

Agenda: Development of Space System for Conservation and Energy Solutions

The Committee on Peaceful Use of Outer Space has recently focused much of its time and energy on the development of a set of guidelines on the long-term sustainability of space activities, a topic of continual and growing importance at both the national and international level. Recognizing the fact that on the current path of energy consumption, we believe that our only cosmic real estate, Earth, will not be able to sustain humankind for more than 300 years; it’s time that we mend our ways. Projects like shepherd particle accelerator are in the future highly probable but made impossible by the politics and diplomacy between states which do not allow us to develop. A special emphasis would be laid on the Outer Space Treaty of ‎27 January 1967, which is no longer substantive. A wider spectrum of views and theories like Bionic mining of Francium from several meteoroids passing near the Earth should be researched upon. Additionally, it would exponentially reduce our vulnerability to an extinction level event, by always keeping us alert and ready. Questions arise because the need of the hour is not settling for mere renewable energy sources but striving towards inexhaustible ones. Who owns the space and its resources? How do we use the inexhaustible resources available in outer space to fulfil our needs on Earth? Do the existing treaties need amendments? Can infinite energy be produced without sacrificing absolutely anything but merely our ego of long gone affairs which don’t even matter anymore?