Action Team on Increasing Awareness

Brief mission statement:

(a) Evaluate ongoing efforts to increase awareness among decision makers and the general public of the value of space activities and the role space activities can play;
(b) Prepare a report on illustrative examples of successful outreach activities, containing also:
(i) Observations and recommendations on potential outreach activities and potential target audiences, in particular with regard to the work of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and the Office for Outer Space Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat;
(ii) Recommendations on future outreach activities and potential target audiences.

Findings:

(a) Recommendation 18 of UNISPACE III to “increase awareness among decision makers and the general public of the importance of space activities” is being implemented at various levels (the intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental levels), partly within the framework of specifically designed activities;
(b) As it was considered impossible to compile a complete list of relevant activities worldwide, the Action Team is focusing on examining and selecting illustrative examples;
(c) Considerable differences remain as to the emphasis placed by the various relevant actors on increasing awareness.

Recommendations for further action:

(a) Assessment by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in the course of its work on reviewing the progress made in the implementation of the recommendations of UNISPACE III;
(b) Observations and recommendations by the Committee and the General Assembly in 2004 regarding the state of implementation of the recommendation and types of possible future action for all relevant actors;
(c) Practical suggestions for future activities of the Committee and the Office for Outer Space Affairs in the framework of the United Nations.

Indication of impediments to implementation:

The vastness of the subject and the diversity of efforts made a comprehensive evaluation and assessment very difficult.

Benefits to be derived from implementation:

An increase of awareness would lead to a better understanding on how space activities can, in particular, contribute in a cost-effective manner to meeting the internationally agreed development goals, especially the Millennium Development Goals, environmental protection and human security.b

Progress made by the Action Team:

The Action Team, assisted by the Office for Outer Space Affairs, conducted an Internet-based survey by circulating specially designed questionnaires among all Member States as well as organizations having permanent observer status with the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on their efforts to increase awareness of the importance of space activities. The compilation will be made available electronically and continue to be updated, so as to become a comprehensive, dynamic source of information on awareness increasing efforts.