News of the WeekSpace Science

U.N. Plans Its Future in Space

Science  06 Aug 1999:
Vol. 285, Issue 5429, pp. 819
DOI: 10.1126/science.285.5429.819a

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At a meeting in Vienna last week, the United Nations adopted a declaration on space and human development that emphasizes the importance of space science and technology for improving human health, studying the environment, and helping sustainable development and disaster management. Although the declaration does not commit any country to a specific course of action, it provides a road map for cooperation among the U.N.'s member nations as well as technical and political recommendations for future space activities. Delegates also approved a voluntary fund to pay for the action plan that accompanies the declaration and suggested that countries be allowed loans from the World Bank to enable them to use the international space station.