Report of the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST) on the ethics of space exploration and utilisation

Within the framework of its work programme for 2024-2025, the World Commission of UNESCO on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST)decided to address the topic ofthe ethics of space exploration and utilisation. This initiative revisits and builds upon the Commission’s previous reflections presented in its Report on the Ethics of Space Policy (2000). It also follows the more recent analyses of COMEST in its reportson Water Ethics: Ocean, Freshwater, Coastal Areas (2018),on Land-Use Ethics (2021) and on the Ethics of Climate Engineering (2023).At the 13th(Ordinary) Session of COMEST in September 2023, the Commission established a Working Group to develop an initial reflectionon this issue. The Working Group met online on several occasions in April and May 2024 to define the structure and the content of its report. The discussion of the Working Group was enriched by a private online Hearing Sessionon21 May 2024with prominent experts in the field. In preparation for the 13th(Extraordinary) Session of COMEST from 16 to 20 September 2024 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, the Working Group prepared a Concept Note providing a synopsis of its reflection thusfar, which was presented and discussed atthe public and private meetings of the session.Consequently, the Working Group continued its reflectionon the topicthrough exchangesof emails and regular online meetings. In preparation for the 14th(Ordinary) Session of COMESTfrom 15 to 19September 2025, two online Working Group meetings were organized in May and in July 2025 to further develop the content of the report. In August 2025, an external consultation with specialised experts was organised to gather written feedback and comments on the progress achieved to date in the text. The final draft of the report was prepared duringthe above-mentioned online meetings and presentedin the public meeting of the 14th(Ordinary) Session of COMEST. It was then revised and adopted by the Commission during the private meeting of this same Session on 18 September 2025.This document does not pretend to be exhaustive and does not necessarily represent the views of the Member States of UNESCO.