Szocik, K;
Reiss, MJ;
(2023)
Why space exploitation may provide sustainable development: Climate ethics and the human future as a multi-planetary species.
Futures
, 147
, Article 103110. 10.1016/j.futures.2023.103110.
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Abstract
Depletion of resources on Earth, super-exploitation and climate change challenge human survival on Earth. As far as humans are a single-planetary species, our further survival seems to be seriously threatened by these on-going pressures. In this paper, we discuss ethical issues arising from the possibility of space exploitation and space colonisation as remedies for a forthcoming climate catastrophe. We argue that it would be unwise to presume that in the time span required humans will change their behaviours and/or develop new technologies so that irreversible, harmful climate change on Earth is averted. Space exploration and exploitation are considered as a natural continuation of the human attempt to explore and exploit. We conclude that space colonisation may provide a path to the sustainable development of humanity and that it would be remiss of humans not to explore this possibility seriously.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Why space exploitation may provide sustainable development: Climate ethics and the human future as a multi-planetary species |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.futures.2023.103110 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2023.103110 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | Climate change, Space exploitation, Space ethics, Space policy, Sustainability |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10164694 |
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