Working Group Overview

The expansion of outer space activities, including resource extraction and satellite deployment, necessitates a re-evaluation of existing legal frameworks to ensure globality and inclusivity. This Working Group, under the auspices of the International Institute for Space Law (IISL), aims to address these emerging challenges and opportunities and contribute to the ongoing evaluation of an interplay between international law (lex generalis) and international outer space law (lex specialis).

Aims and Objectives

The aim of this Working Group is to analyse and interpret how outer space activities, multi-level legal regime interactions, and especially outer space law(s) interact with plural forms of governance. The specific objectives include:

  1. To evaluate the status of international, national, transnational, and regional laws and international outer space law (lex lata) in relation to plural forms of governance.
  2. To identify potential gaps and challenges in the current legal frameworks that may affect indigenous and other non-state peoples in the context of outer space activities.
  3. To develop comprehensive guidelines and recommendations.
  4. To provide an analysis of unique concerns of indigenous peoples in the realm of space exploration and exploitation.

Methodology

The Working Group will employ a multi-disciplinary approach, drawing on expertise from the fields of international law, space law, human rights law, indigenous law, among others. The methodology will include comprehensive literature review and legal doctrinal analysis, collaboration, and preparation of the final report outlining findings and recommendations.

Outcomes

The expected outcomes of the Working Group are as follows:

  1. A detailed report that aims to contribute to ongoing interpretation between international law and international outer space law with special focus on pluralistic governance.
  2. Establishment of a platform for ongoing dialogue and cooperation among indigenous peoples’ law and governance and other non-state peoples’ law and governance and ongoing developments in outer space law.
  3. A series of outputs including conferences and related proceedings, guest presentations, and regular updates for the IISL Members.

Call for Participation

The Working Group endeavours to foster a worldwide, inclusive, and pluralistic process of participation and drafting. We invite expressions of interest from IISL members, and experts from other disciplines to join this initiative. Emphasis will be placed on members' existing expertise and background in specific topics, while ensuring expansive representation from all global regions.

Selection criteria for membership selection

In addition to expertise in space law, we are focusing on extensive and demonstrated experience (lived, professional, and academic) in these specialized areas of research and analysis.

Call for participation

The document providing the call for participation can be found below.

Provisional Timeline

January 2025 to December 2027.

Archives

Below, the Archive of posts related to the IISL Working Group: Indigenous Peoples, Non-State Peoples, and Outer Space Law can be found.