Near-Earth Objects and the United Nations

Abstract

This chapter presents the past, current and future efforts of the United Nations (UN) through its Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in the field of near-Earth objects and planetary defense. The focus is on the progress made in implementing recommendations for an international response to the NEO impact threat, as agreed under the auspices of COPUOS and welcomed by the UN General Assembly in its resolution 68/75. The chapter also outlines the ongoing work by the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) and the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG), which were established as a result of the abovementioned recommendations and report annually to COPUOS and its Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. The aim is to ensure a coordinated international response to the NEO impact threat, including information sharing in discovering, monitoring and physically characterizing potentially hazardous NEOs so that all countries, in particular developing countries with limited capacity in predicting and mitigating a NEO impact, are aware of potential threats.