How Will Humans Share Mars On Settling There, Decoding Outer Space Treaty

If humans were to eventually settle in Mars, how would the national governments administer such a situation? According to the terms and conditions listed in the Outer Space Treaty, sovereign claims by any signing country on any celestial body in the solar system such as the Moon and Mars, is strictly prohibited. However, the treaty allows expeditions for the province of all mankind.

A paper on space policy looks specifically into the challenge of administering space share laws on various governments. As per reports, such laws would have to be put in effect before humans reach the surface of Mars, and subsequently lay claim to the land they use. In case of disputes, the Mars Secretariat administration would handle the matters as its goal would be to serve the interest of all the colonies.

"It is based on the Antarctic treaty system, which has a shared use of space for solely science purposes," said Sara Bruhns. Bruhns and Jacob Haqq-Misra, from Seattle's Blue Marble Space Institute of Science (BMSIS), are the authors of the paper which has been based on the administration of international laws and treaties in and around Antarctica. The duo give examples of how exclusive economic zones work for oceanic areas surrounding countries, and how nations have special rights to use marine resources within  limits of 200 nautical miles off their coast. The authors have also forwarded the suggestion of implementing shared zones on the Martian surface, where various nations could work to obtain the resources they want from the planet.

The authors have also pointed out that in some cases the mutual agreements may not work out so well, and illustrated with the example of the Humane Society International vs. Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha case, which saw minke whales in Australia's Antarctic zone being killed by Japanese whalers. Japan put forward the argument that their conduct was driven by scientific purpose; however the case was eventually ruled in Australia's favor by Australian courts though the rule has not been fully enforced. In the meanwhile, a temporary ban on whaling in Antarctica was levied on Japan in a separate case with the International Court of Justice. An example like this indicates similar future conflicts that can take place on Mars; therefore a foolproof procedure has to be in place ahead of time, according to the authors. At the moment, the authors are continuing their work on a Mars treaty idea and modifying it according to legislation updates.