Responsibility to defend Earth as a core principle of the planetary defense security regime

The planetary defense community should consider the development of a Responsibility to Defend Earth (R2DE) as a foundational normative principle for a future planetary defense security regime. This requires thorough deliberation and consensus-building to definitively answer the question: “What is the value we secure?” This manuscript proposes the Responsibility to Defend Earth (R2DE) as a core principle for planetary defense, aiming to foster international cooperation and policy changes. Despite technical advancements and creation of bodies like IAWN and SMPAG, it highlights the need for consensus on action and means.