Ethics of Observation in the Polar Regions

Whilst satellite observations over the Polar Regions yield vastly beneficial scientific knowledge, ethical questions complicate their use in the context of the Polar Regions, in particular, questions about military or strategic advantage vis-a-vis human security concerns. The Antarctic Treaty System...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Yearbook of Polar Law Online
Main Author: Carleton, Alexandra L.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: Brill 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/22116427_012010024
https://brill.com/view/journals/yplo/12/1/article-p415_24.xml
https://brill.com/downloadpdf/journals/yplo/12/1/article-p415_24.xml
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Summary:Whilst satellite observations over the Polar Regions yield vastly beneficial scientific knowledge, ethical questions complicate their use in the context of the Polar Regions, in particular, questions about military or strategic advantage vis-a-vis human security concerns. The Antarctic Treaty System is committed to use of its space for peaceful purposes which, in the fulfilment of high-level science, seems plausible. Yet where military endeavour is coupled with such scientific endeavour, or where global security concerns seek an entree to the knowledge acquired by such observation, the question of whether either Pole can remain free from human non-peaceful purpose is bedevilling.