Bringing Space Down to Earth

The document highlights the growing role of private sector entrepreneurialism in space and the use of satellite imaging by civil society to protect human rights and wildlife. It argues that decision-makers often overlook the potential of space technologies to address urgent Earth-based issues, such as climate change monitoring and remote connectivity, and warns that increasing orbital activity will create future governance challenges regarding sustainability.

• Space activity is diversifying as private sector entrepreneurialism grows, moving beyond purely government-led programmes to include activities such as asteroid mining and tourism.
• Civil society organizations are utilizing satellite imaging, previously limited to intelligence agencies, for the purposes of protecting World Heritage sites, wildlife, and human rights, as well as prosecuting war criminals.
• Decision-makers frequently ignore short-term opportunities to apply space-based services to critical global challenges, specifically the delivery of education and connectivity to remote regions and the monitoring of climate change.
• The increasing number of private and government entities operating in space will make the sustainability of Earth's orbits a significant governance challenge in the long term.

APA

World Economic Forum (2014). Bringing Space Down to Earth. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GAC/2013/Connect/WEF_GAC_Space_Security_2012-2014_Connect.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Bringing Space Down to Earth. 2014. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GAC/2013/Connect/WEF_GAC_Space_Security_2012-2014_Connect.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Bringing Space Down to Earth |date=2014 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GAC/2013/Connect/WEF_GAC_Space_Security_2012-2014_Connect.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2014bringing, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Bringing Space Down to Earth}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2014}, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GAC/2013/Connect/WEF_GAC_Space_Security_2012-2014_Connect.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }