Evaluating governance and the role of international law in protecting natural resources: Space powers and the Moon Agreement

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Abstract

The renewed interest in lunar exploration has prompted a critical re-examination of the international legal framework governing the use of outer space resources. This article explores the role of international law, particularly the Moon Agreement, in regulating access to and protection of lunar resources, such as Helium-3. While existing treaties like the Outer Space Treaty provide foundational principles, they fall short in addressing the emerging realities of space mining and commercial exploitation. The study adopts a qualitative legal methodology, drawing from treaty analysis, state practice, and scholarly literature to assess the extent to which international law can accommodate technological advances and national interests. It argues that the lack of broad ratification of the Moon Agreement reflects a deeper uncertainty about the balance between common heritage principles and national ambitions. The findings suggest the need for a more cohesive and enforceable governance model capable of promoting sustainable and cooperative resource use. This article contributes to ongoing debates on space law by highlighting gaps in current frameworks and suggesting pathways for reform.

Keywords: Helium-3, Lunar Resource Governance, Space Mining, International Space Law, Sustainability, Legal Frameworks, International Cooperation

Authors’ individual contribution: Conceptualization — S.A.; Methodology — H.B.S. and S.A.; Validation — H.B.S.; Investigation — S.A.; Data Curation — H.B.S.; Resources — H.B.S. and S.A.; Writing — Original Draft — H.B.S.; Writing — Review & Editing — H.B.S. and S.A.; Visualization — S.A.; Funding Acquisition — H.B.S.; Supervision — S.A.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

JEL Classification: K32, K33, O38

Received: 18.02.2025
Revised: 02.04.2025; 08.04.2025; 15.05.2025
Accepted: 26.05.2025
Published online: 28.05.2025

How to cite this paper: Bin Sulaiman, H., & Abbas, S. (2025). Evaluating governance and the role of international law in protecting natural resources: Space powers and the Moon Agreement. Corporate Law & Governance Review, 7(2), 103–111. https://doi.org/10.22495/clgrv7i2p11