Equity, Sustainability, and the Participation of the Global South in Space Governance

The search for effective ways to ensure the safety and long-term use of outer space has become a central challenge for space law globally. In this context, sustainability is widely regarded as essential to maintaining continued access to outer space while ensuring that the benefits derived from space activities are shared among all countries and across generations. Nevertheless, the rapid expansion of space activities and the growing space industry have exposed critical gaps in global governance, particularly concerning unequal participation in shaping the legal frameworks that will determine the future of humanity in space. This paper examines contemporary space governance frameworks – both binding and non-binding – and their relationship with the principles of equity and sustainability. It argues that, while these mechanisms may address sustainability-related challenges, they risk reinforcing structural asymmetries between established spacefaring nations and countries with emerging or limited space capabilities unless equity is incorporated as an operative principle in decision-making processes. In this sense, the article explores how integrating equity into global space governance may contribute to fairer participation and to the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. By examining the interaction between legal structures, international cooperation, and sustainability-oriented instruments, the article identifies structural barriers embedded in current governance arrangements. Rather than proposing an exhaustive reform agenda, the study clarifies how equity and sustainability intersect in contemporary space governance and contributes to ongoing discussions on the more inclusive participation of Global South countries in shaping legal norms governing the sustainable use of outer space.