The Legacy of the Dinosaurs: Regulation of Planetary Defence and Near-Earth Objects at a Global Level

Abstract

In recent years, Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) have caused increasing concerns among space scientists and policymakers. Despite the initiatives at UN COPUOS, international law falls considerably short of addressing issues pertaining to the detection and mitigation of hazardous NEOs. This paper proposes the creation of a Convention on Planetary Defence. The convention will address co-operation issues among States and, moreover, establish a Global Fund for Planetary Defence, which will be used for R&D on NEOs, for identifying best practices in deterring potential attacks, and for compensating relevant damages.