Moon Treaty of 1979- Supranational Threat

Attempts to ban private property throughout the solar system for mankind and descendants

In 1979, the United Nations attempted to forever forbid mankind from the right to private property in Outer Space, through The U.N. Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, henceforth referred to as the "Moon Treaty",.which covers the entire solar system outside of Earth

 

 The Moon Treaty is a revision of the original 1967 Outer Space Treaty, with two major differences:

1. Prohibition of property rights for “natural persons”
2. Establishment of a U.N. Endorsed “regime” to govern mineral resources off-planet

 

Moon Treaty L5 Society
"The (Moon) Treaty makes about as much sense as fish
setting the conditions under which amphibians could colonize the land."
Image and Quote Courtesy of National Space Society/L5 Society

Good News

The Reagan administration opposed these treaty outright, and thanks to the lobbying efforts of the L5 Society, the treaty was widely opposed around the globe. At the end of negotiations, with a mere 5 nations having ratified, the Moon Treaty was left for dead, and today is considered a black-mark failure in the course of Outer Space legislation.

Bad News

The 5 signatures/ratifications the Moon Treaty managed to receive in 1984 were enough to solidify its status as a “Treaty In Force” under the United Nations. Over the past 30 years, the treaty has slowly but surely gained support. In 2012, there are a total of 17 nations party to the Moon Treaty, the most recent being Turkey, who ratified it in March of this year!

The Moon Treaty is a thorn in the side of Outer Space legislation, and before we can completely move forward into space without the shackles that bind us to Earth, the treaty should be abandoned.

For more information, see: Letter Presented to UN Delegates:  Opposing the Moon Treaty



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