Here are updates onthe McGill Encyclopedia of International Space Law
- Progress on the McGill Encyclopedia of International Space Law
- Overwhelming support for the McGill SpaceLawPedia Project
- Forthcoming launch of the McGill Encyclopedia of International Space Law
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Progress on the McGill Encyclopedia of International Space Law
7 March 2022
The Institute of Air and Space Law at 香蕉视频 is invigorating its work on the (MESIL or SpaceLawPedia). First announced in November 2020, the McGill Encyclopedia is envisaged as the go-to resource for authoritative, peer-reviewed and reliable online resource on key subject matters of international space law.
Since its launch in 2020, the McGill Encyclopedia of International Space Law has already attracted great support from renowned members of the international space law community. In early 2021, in recognition of unique and first-of-its kind research endeavour, , the Government of Canada鈥檚 funding agency that supports cutting-edge research and promotes the dissemination of transformational knowledge.
With the ease of publication, particularly on the Internet, much publicly available literature on international space law tends to be biased and devoid of basic understanding of the norms of public international law, and relevant technical and scientific know-how of space science and applications. The proliferation of space activities and actors brings the world a myriad of socio-economic and scientific benefits as well as strategic and geopolitical concerns. In order to ensure the safety, security and sustainability of outer space, now more than ever before, it is vital that policy-makers, government officials, industry professionals, academics, and members of the public have ready access to clear and objective knowledge of the legal principles and norms governing activities in the shared global commons of outer space.
In the words of former Judge Abdul Koroma of the International Court of Justice, 鈥淢cGill is well placed both with technical and academic resources鈥� to undertake the direction, creation and curation of the McGill Encyclopedia. A member of the Advisory Board, Judge Koroma fondly recalled memories of discussing the concept of an encyclopedia on international space law with Professor Jakhu throughout the years. Equipped with experience of over several decades in pioneering research in air and space law and in managing the multi-year projects, such as the McGill Manual on International Law Applicable to Military Uses of Outer Space (MILAMOS) that is soon coming to a close, McGill is well placed to address the void in and demand for neutral, objective and evidence-based knowledge on international space law.
In addition to the involvement and endorsement of a former judge of the International Court of Justice, dozens of recognised are playing an active role in transforming the vision of the world鈥檚 first dedicated and objective reference material on international space law into reality. With significant funding from the Government of Canada, institutional and financial support from the Faculty of Law at 香蕉视频, Acting Director of the Institute Professor Ram Jakhu looks forward to receiving entries of the McGill Encyclopedia of International Space Law听from well-recognised experts in the coming months.
Overwhelming support for the McGill SpaceLawPedia Project
15 October 2020
Since the public announcement of the McGill Encyclopedia of International Space Law (at .com) at the end of August, we are pleased to have made great progress in laying the foundations of the project. Over the past two months, have accepted to play an active role in the strategic direction, creation and curation of the McGill Encyclopedia. With their combined expertise, and the carefully selected and peer-reviewed contributions from practitioners, established and emerging scholars in the world, the McGill Encyclopedia at SpaceLawPedia.com promises to be a valuable resource and reference material for international space law.
鈥淢cGill is well placed both with technical and academic resources [鈥 to undertake and accomplish such a project鈥�, said former Judge Abdul Koroma of the International Court of Justice. Upon accepting to join as a member of the Advisory Board, Judge Koroma fondly recalled pleasant memories of discussing the issues to be covered in the Encyclopedia with Professor Jakhu throughout the years. The idea of an encyclopedia being a comprehensive reference compendium on specialised topics of international space law is by no means novel, yet unique. With the endorsement of the Faculty of Law at 香蕉视频 and under the guidance of the Acting Director of the Institute Professor Ram Jakhu, this multi-year undertaking is the first to put idea to reality.
Recognising the problem with the spread of biased and unscrutinised literature on international space law, the McGill Encyclopedia aims to produce the go-to source for credible and rigorously peer-reviewed scholarship on international space law. The need for objective scholarship has been heightened with increasingly sensationalist and misleading discussions about international space law, an issue that is particularly prevalent with the ease of publishing on the Internet.
The rhetoric surrounding the inevitability of war in outer space, or the various commercial or strategic reasons put forward to justify unilateral attempts to exploit and claim ownership over space natural resources, denial of the application of international law on the Moon and other celestial bodies, or the unchecked increase in the creation of space debris, are endemic. Such voices are often broadcast without regard to the fundamentals of international space law, which is the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, and for the benefit of all humankind. At a time where there are renewed and varied interests at play in the global commons of outer space, it is imperative that all space stakeholders have a clear understanding of legal concepts and principles unique to peaceful and sustainable governance of this fragile domain. This vision is shared by the members of the Advisory Board and Editorial Board of the McGill Encyclopedia, who in the coming period will begin the process of inviting select contributors to draft entries on core subject matters of international space law.
鈥淭he Encyclopedia will serve a very useful purpose now and in the future鈥�, said Judge Koroma. Indeed, the active involvement and endorsement of a former judge of the International Court of Justice, dozens of recognised academics, and industry professionals underline the recognition for such a valuable and publicly available resource on international space law. In addition, the McGill Encyclopedia Project at will provide students and emerging scholars great opportunities to collaborate with renowned scholars and engage with cutting-edge scholarship in ways that will enhance the skills of future talent.
Forthcoming launch of the McGill Encyclopedia of International Space Law
15 August 2020
The McGill Institute of Air and Space Law is delighted to announce plans for an objectively curated online resource on international space law. The forthcoming McGill Encyclopedia of International Space Law (MEISL), slated to be launched in early 2021, promises to be the go-to and publicly available compendium on key subject-matters of international space law.
With a proliferation of space activities and actors in recent years, today, the legal principles applicable to the exploration and use of outer space is undoubtedly subject to divergent interpretation and application of international space law by States, international organisations, industry stakeholders and academics. As such, it has become quite difficult to find neutral, objective and authoritative information, making it easy for policy-makers, academics, researchers and students in the space law community to fall prey to misinformation and inaccurate interpretation of international space law as it stands.
To mitigate this growing concern, the McGill Encyclopedia of International Space Law will carry carefully selected and peer-reviewed articles on subject-matters unique to the domain of international space law. The long-conceived brainchild of Professor Ram Jakhu and the first of its kind, the idea of such an encyclopedia garnered interest and generated ongoing discussions amongst his colleagues and students within and outside of McGill for close to a decade. The McGill Encyclopedia will enjoy endorsement of and contributions from highly publicised practitioners and experts in the international law community.
With the objective of facilitating public access to accurate, neutral and objective scholarship, this innovative project to produce the McGill Encyclopedia will be spearheaded by Prof. Ram S. Jakhu as the Editor, Kuan-Wei Chen as Associate Editor and Bayar Goswami as Associate Editor and Principal Researcher.
Stay tuned-in for more information!